Kampala Tree and Palm Directory

Tree Species
Common Name
Tree Description
Tree Uses

English: Camdeboo stinkwood, White stinkwood Luganda: Akasinsa Lugishu: Gusotono, lusa Lugwe: Musisa Lusoga: Mukyemogola Rukiga: Nyabinunka Runyankore: Muzunzu Rutoro: Nyamumenka Sebei: Mastet, mastitet.

+ Tree Species

Celtis africana

+ Tree Family

Ulmaceae

+ Ecology

White stinkwood is indigenous to Uganda. A tree with a very wide range of habitats from dry rocky outcrops to moist evergreen as well as riverine forest. It is common in evergreen lowland forests in all Regions of Uganda, 1,300-2,200 m and is very abundant in the West Bugwe Forests.In Kampala, this tree is found within Uganda Golf Course Club, Makerere University among other places.

+ Description

A deciduous forest tree about 12 m but reaching 35 m, with a spreading crown.

BARK: smooth, pale grey often marked with horizontal rings. Young shoots have rust-coloured hairs.

LEAVES: clearly 3-veined from the base of the oval leaves (as in all Celtis), outer 2 veins reaching well into upper half of the leaf, rough and dull green above, hairs on veins below, edge toothed over top two thirds, base a little unequal, tip drawn out and pointed.

FLOWERS: sepals but no petals, very small, greenish, on thin stalks, in clusters beside leaves, female flowers above male flowers on the stalk.

FRUIT: yellow or orange, round and hairy, less than 1 cm on stalks about 2 cm long, hard seeds inside.

+ Uses

Medicine: bark, the roots, and leaves. http://tropical.theferns.info/viewtropical.php id=Celtis+africana

The fibrous bark is often used for making ropes and cloth.

The wood is used for planks, yokes, triggers, axe handles, laths, fences, cooperage, railway ties etc. It is also used for construction, flooring, joinery, interior trim, mine props, furniture, ladders, toys, novelties, sporting goods, agricultural implements, tool handles, pestles, tent-bows, yokes, wagon-making, spoons, boxes and crates. It is suitable for ship building, railway sleepers, veneer and plywood.

The wood is used for fuel and for charcoal production.

Agroforestry: the leaves provide fodder to the animals.

An ornamental and a shade tree.

+ Propagation

Seeds, wildlings

+ Management

Side pruning.

+ Remarks

The timber rots and splits easily, but it is very strong and with proper seasoning useful for tool handles and building. Leaves are browsed by animals, including cattle, and the leaves and fruits are important in the diet of black and white colobus monkeys. Does not compete with crops since it has a light shade. It is a tree quite suitable for parks and avenues.



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