Markhamia is indigenous to Uganda. A tree which is common in high-rainfall areas, forest edges and in river valleys to 2,000 m. It will stand acid heavy clay soil but not waterlogging. It prefers red loam and has deep roots. It occurs in most areas of Uganda. In Kampala, Markhamia can be found within Uganda Golf course club, Makerere university, Kitante courts, along Kyaggwe road, Sezibwa road among other places.

A small to medium upright evergreen tree that can grow up to 25 m with a narrow irregular crown, trunk fluted at the base. The bole is around 30cm in diameter.

BARK: light brown, finely cracked.

LEAVES: Compound pinnate with 7-11 leaflets, often in bunches, thin and wavy, each leaflet to 10 cm, wider at the tip. Often round leafyoutgrowths at the base.

FLOWERS: bright yellowclusters, each trumpet shaped orange-red stripes in the throat, buds furry, splitting on one side.

FRUIT: long thin capsules, to 75 cm, hang in spiralling clusters, split on the tree to release many flat winged seeds. Mature seed is yellow-white, prematurely collected seedturns black.

An ornamental tree and provides shade to people.

Agroforestry: can be planted as a screen or background tree for gardens, parks and on golf courses, M. lutea poles can be used as props to support banana trees, helps in erosion control and soil conservation, provides useful shade to crops such as banana, beans and maize and acts as a windbreak, provides mulch which enhances soil moisture retention and increases organic matter, provides good bee forage.

Medicine: leaves, bark, and roots. http://tropical.theferns.info/viewtropical.php id=Markhamia+lutea, https://www.prota4u.org/database/protav8.asp g=pe&p=Markhamia+lutea+(Benth.)+K.Schum

The wood is an excellent timber for interior carpentry and cabinetry. It is suitable for light flooring, interior trim, ship building, vehicle bodies, sporting goods, toys, novelties, boxes, crates, matches, turnery, veneer, plywood and pulpwood.

It is also used for paddles on river-craft, building poles, spoons, tool handles and knife sheaths, walking sticks, beehives.

The wood is used for fuel and produces a good charcoal.

It can be used for fermentation tanks, tubs and barrels because it's resistant to diluted acids.

The wood is considered excellent for tobacco curing because of its odourless smoke.

Markhamia lutea can be used for control of the parasitic weed Striga in cereals by inducing germination in the absence of a host. https://www.prota4u.org/database/protav8.asp g=pe&p=Markhamia+lutea+(Benth.)+K.Schum