Afzelia quanzensis

Afzelia quanzensis Welw.

Common names

Pod mahogany (English); mupapa, mpeta (Bemba, Kunda); mpapa, mkolando, mkongomwa, msambamfumu, ngoliondo (Nyanja)

The Latin name Afzelia refers to Adam Afzelius, a Swedish botanist who was resident in Somalia; ‘quanzensis’ refers to the Cuanza River in Angola where the first scientific collection of this tree was made. The English name refers to the light red-brown timber which is a good furniture wood, and polishes well.

General description and distinguishing characteristics

A large, semi-deciduous tree up to 25 m in height with a spreading to rounded crown. Bark pale grey brown, fairly smooth, flaking. Leaves compound, paripinnate, alternate with up to seven pairs of opposite to sub-opposite leaflets. Leaflets large, oblong-elliptic 2.5-9 x 1.5-6 cm, glossy dark green above, paler green below, leathery with margin entire. Flowers conspicuous with a single petal (4.5 x 3cm), red with yellow streaks; borne in sprays (July-Nov). Fruit pods 10-20 cm long, flat, dark brown to grey-black and thickly woody. Pods contain up to 10 large black, ovoid seeds with bright orange arils enveloping the lower third of the seed.

Range and habitat

Afzelia quanzensis is widespread in tropical Africa from Somalia southwards to the north east of South Africa. In the Luangwa valley, Afzelia is found in riverine fringe woodland and thicket as well as in mixed alluvial thicket, Combretum thicket and Mopane woodland on sand. This is a very impressive tree that is relatively common in the Luangwa on free draining soils.