African blackwood

Names and Synonyms

Common Names

• African blackwood
• Ordeal Tree

Scientific Names

Accepted name

Synonyms

• Caesalpiniodes africanum
• Erythrophleum africanum var. micrantherum
• Erythrophleum pubistamineum var. parvifolium
• Erythrophleum africanum var. stenocarpum
• Erythrophleum pubistamineum
• Gleditsia africana
• Erythrophleum africanum f. subglabrum
• Erythrophleum africanum var. angustifoliatum
• Erythrophleum africanum f. glabrissimum

Regional and Traditional Names

Sources: Wikidata, Catalogue of Life

Taxonomical Classification

This plant belongs to the kingdom Plantae and is classified within the phylum Streptophyta and class Equisetopsida. Under the subclass Magnoliidae, it is organized into the order Fabales and the family Fabaceae. Finally, it is identified by its specific genus, Erythrophleum.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Distribution

This plant is widely distributed across several regions within West Tropical Africa. It can be found growing in the nation of Benin. Furthermore, its presence extends into the territory of Burkina. The species is also documented in Gambia and Ghana. Finally, its geographical range includes Guinea-Bissau.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Botanical Identification

Ecology

The ecology of Erythropheleum africanum is characterized by its specific preference for forest habitats, where it thrives within the complex structural layers of the woodland. This species occupies a distinct altitudinal niche, typically found within an elevational range that spans from a minimum of 900 m AMSL to a maximum of 1400 m AMSL. This mid-elevation positioning suggests an adaptation to the specific microclimates, moisture levels, and shade patterns provided by forested ecosystems within this vertical bracket.

Elevational range max:

1400 m AMSL

Elevational range min:

900 m AMSL

Habitat :

forest

Life history

The life history of Erythrophleum africanum is characterized by its classification as a perennial plant, allowing it to persist through multiple growing seasons. In terms of its structural growth strategy and positioning within its ecosystem, the species is identified as a phanerophyte, specifically categorized under the life forms of both phanerophyte and nanophanerophyte, indicating that its buds are borne on aerial shoots well above the ground level.

Life form :

phanerophyte

Lifecycle :

perennial

Morphology

The morphology of Erythropheleum africanum is characterized by its growth form as a woody tree, which functions as a self-supporting structure rather than a climber or vine. This species exhibits a significant stature, with a plant height ranging from a minimum of 4.5 meters to a maximum of 15 meters, maintaining an average height of approximately 15 meters. It is a terrestrial plant, neither aquatic nor an epiphyte, and grows as an independent organism without parasitic tendencies.

Aquatic :

terrestrial

Climber :

self-supporting

Epiphyte :

terrestrial

Growth form :

tree

Parasite :

independent

Plant height mean:

15 m

Plant height min:

4.5 m

Woodiness :

woody

Physiology

The physiology of Erythrophleum africanum is characterized by its specific metabolic and nutritional adaptations within its ecological niche. The plant utilizes a C3 photosynthetic pathway, meaning it fixes atmospheric carbon dioxide through the Calvin cycle using the enzyme Rubisco, a characteristic common to most woody tropical species that thrive in environments where water loss is managed through standard stomatal regulation. Furthermore, the species functions as a nitrogen fixer, possessing a symbiotic relationship with diazotrophic microorganisms that allow it to convert atmospheric nitrogen into bioavailable forms, thereby enhancing its nutrient uptake and supporting growth in nitrogen-poor soils.

Nitrogen fixer :

yes

Photosynthetic pathway :

C3

Reproduction

The reproduction of Erythropheleum africanum is driven by a biotic pollination syndrome, characterized primarily by interactions with living organisms rather than abiotic factors. Specifically, the plant utilizes insect-mediated pollination, with a notable reliance on bees to facilitate the transfer of pollen. The reproductive cycle culminates in the production of seeds that exhibit significant variation in size; individual seed mass ranges from a minimum of 0.18846 g to a maximum of 2 g, with a calculated mean seed mass of 0.82317 g.

Pollination syndrome :

insect

Pollination syndrome :

bee

Pollination syndrome :

biotic

Seed mass max:

2 g

Seed mass mean:

0.82317 g

Seed mass min:

0.18846 g

Sources: Global Inventory of Floras and Traits (GIFT)

Activities

Erythrophleum africanum has 1 reported activities identified across 0 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported activities include Antihyperglycemic.

Antihyperglycemic

1. Food science & nutrition

Preparations

Erythrophleum africanum has 1 reported preparations identified across 0 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported preparations include trunk bark powder fractions.

Trunk bark powder fractions

1. Food science & nutrition