Volume 4 > Part 1 > Year 1984 > Page 127 > Leguminosae-Caesalpinioideae > Afzelia

Afzelia xylocarpa (Kurz) Craibwfo-0000186209

Kew Bull. 1912: 267; in Fl. Siam. En. 1: 533. 1928; K.Larsen & S.S.Larsen in Fl. C.L.V. 18: 141. 1980. Fig. 31: 1–4.— Pahudia xylocarpa Kurz, J. Asiat. Soc. Bengal 45. (2): 290. 1876.

Accepted Name : This is currently accepted.

Synonyms & Citations :

Description : Tree up to 30 m high, with a broad crown; bark smooth, grey; young shoots ± puberulous later glabrous. Leaves glabrous. Petioles ca 2 cm; rhachis 15–20 cm. Stipules minute, caduceus. Leaflets 3–5 pairs, oblong-ovoid, with ± rounded, slightly emargiuate apex; base truncate, 5–9 by 4–5 cm; petiolules 3–5 mm. Panicles 5–15 cm, grayish pubescent. Pedicels 7–10 mm. Bracts ovate-oblong, greyish pubescent, 6–9 mm; bracteoles similar, persistent. Receptacle 8–10 mm, greyish pubescent as the sepals. Sepals oblong, 10–12 mm. Petal pink, with a 5–12 mm long claw; lamina oblong, emarginate, 7–9 mm long. Stamens 7, filaments 30 mm, pubescent at base; anthers 3–4 mm long, opening by a slit; staminodes 3, short, filiform. Ovary hairy ca 7 mm, with a 7 mm long stipe; style glabrous, 20–25 mm long, slightly enlarged towards the stigma. Pods brown, woody-valved; valves 5–7 mm thick, 15–20 by 7–9 cm. Seeds (excluded aril) 2.5–3 cm long, 2–2.5 cm broad, 0.8–1.2 cm thick; aril orange, cup-shaped, ca 1.5 cm long.

Thailand : NORTHERN:Chiang Mai, Lamphun, Lampang, Tak; NORTH-EASTERN: Loei (Si Than); EASTERN: Chaiyaphum, Nakhon Ratchasima (Pak Thong Chai); SOUTH-EASTERN: Prachin Buri, Chanthaburi (Pong Nam Ron) SOUTH-WESTERN: Ratchaburi, Kanchanaburi (Sai Yok).

Distribution : Burma (type), Cambodia, Laos, Vietnam.

Ecology : Mixed deciduous and dry evergreen forests at lower altitudes, not above 600 m in Thailand.

Vernacular : Makha hua kham (มะค่าหัวคำ), makha luang (มะค่าหลวง)(Northern); makha mohg (มะค่าโมง), makha yai (มะค่าใหญ่)(Central); kheng (เขง), beng (เบง)(Khmer-Eastern); pin (ปี้น)(Chaobon-Eastern).

Uses: Timber used for construction, e.g. bridges, components of houses; young seeds edible.

Notes: Afzelia martabanica (Prain) Léonard said to have cylindric seeds has not been observed in Thailand. The Thai material seems to be very uniform.