Parkia filicoidea

Parkia filicoidea Welw. ex Oliver

Common names

Parkia (English); musepa (Bemba); mkundi, mpeza, msenya, mtangatanga (Nyanja); mpesa (Nyanja/Tumbuka).

General description and distinguishing characteristics

A large tree up to 16 m or more, often with buttressed roots. Parkia is most easily recognised when it is in flower with its large, pendulous inflorescences resembling electric light bulbs. Bark smoothish, grey with orange-brown lenticels forming more or less vertical lines. Leaves compound, paripinnate, up to 30 cm long, with 5 or more pairs of pinnae, each bearing 10-14 pairs of leaflets. Leaflets 3 x 1.2 cm, oblong, with 2-3 conspicuous veins. Flowers whitish to red, cylindrical at base then globose, 5 cm in diameter, produced on long flower stalks up to 30 cm long (October-November). Fruit flattened, strap-like pods up to 40 cm long, fleshy (November onwards).

Range and habitat

Parkia filicoidea occurs in DRC, Uganda, Kenya, Tanzania, Angola, Zambia, Malawi and Mozambique. It is almost invariably found fringing rivers or lakes but may also occur on termite mounds. In the valley it can be seen in riverine fringe woodland on the Lufila river.