Pseudocedrela kotschyi

Family

Meliaceae

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Chromosome number

2n = 56

Synonyms

Vernacular names

Dry-zone cedar, hard cedar-mahogany (En).

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Origin and geographic distribution

Pseudocedrela kotschyi is widespread in the savanna zone from Senegal east to western Ethiopia and Uganda.

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Uses

The wood is valued for high-class joinery, furniture and cabinet making, and for construction. It resembles mahogany, but is heavier and harder. It is also used for doors, windows, frames, drums, barrels, canoes, mortars, bowls and gun-stocks. It is suitable for flooring, interior trim, ship building, vehicle bodies, toys, novelties, carvings, turnery, veneer and plywood. The wood is also used as firewood and for charcoal production.
Pseudocedrela kotschyi has numerous uses in traditional medicine, particularly its bark, roots and leaves. Bark decoctions or macerations are applied externally to ulcers, sores, rheumatism, leprosy, syphilis, yaws, itch, caries and gingivitis. Internally they are used to treat fever, stomach-ache, diarrhoea and dysentery, and as a diuretic and aphrodisiac. Root or root bark preparations are administered as powerful diuretic, to treat asthma, fever, dysentery, oedema, to facilitate childbirth, and are applied externally to ulcers, mastitis, haemorrhoids, fractures, rheumatism, caries and gingivitis, and as an aphrodisiac. In Uganda a tea made from root powder is drunk to treat liver cirrhosis. Pounded leafy twigs are rubbed in to treat headache and rheumatism, and a leaf decoction is applied as a compress to fractures, and is drunk and used in a bath against rash and oedema. Young stems and roots are commonly used as chewing sticks to keep the teeth healthy. In Nigeria the stem bark is used in mixtures to treat trypanosomiasis in livestock, and leaves are administered in veterinary medicine against intestinal worms. In Nigeria the bark is used as an ingredient of arrow poison, and in Côte d’Ivoire as a fish poison. The bark yields a brownish dye that has been used in West Africa for dyeing cloth. Pseudocedrela kotschyi is occasionally planted as an ornamental shade tree and roadside tree. In Nigeria the leaves are used as a green manure.

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Properties

The heartwood is reddish brown and distinctly demarcated from the whitish to pale brown sapwood of varying width. The grain is interlocked, texture medium and even. The wood has an attractive figure, a faint smell and contains some gum.
The wood is moderately heavy, with a density of about 750 kg/m³ at 12% moisture content. It should be air dried carefully and slowly to prevent splitting and warping. The rates of shrinkage are rather high.
The wood saws and works well with hand and machine tools. It planes smoothly, and nails, screws and glues satisfactorily. The wood is fairly durable, but is susceptible to attack by Lyctus and longhorn beetles and slightly liable to termite attack.
The wood contains limonoids, including pseudrelones. Bark extracts showed in-vitro antibacterial activity, and anti-ulcer activity in rats. In tests the roots demonstrated broad-spectrum antimicrobial activity. Dichloromethane extracts of the root showed antileishmanial activity. The extracts and the isolated compounds 7-deacetylgedunin and 7-deacetyl-7-oxogedunin exhibited in-vitro activity against Leishmania donovani, Trypanosoma brucei rhodesiense, Trypanosoma cruzi and Plasmodium falciparum, with low cytotoxic activity against the L-6 cell line. The limonoid 7-deacetoxy-7-hydroxy-gedunin, isolated from Pseudocedrela kotschyi, showed anti-HIV activity. Extracts of Pseudocedrela kotschyi inhibited lymphocyte proliferation and exhibited molluscicidal activity. Crude ethanol extracts of the leaves showed distinct anthelmintic activity against Haemonchus contortus, a pathogenic nematode in small ruminants. Extracts of Pseudocedrela kotschyi also showed activity against Ascaris suum. The application of root juice can lead to severe skin necrosis, and care should be taken when it is applied to e.g. ulcers.
The essential oils from the stem and root bark are exclusively composed of sesquiterpenoids. δ -cadinene was the main constituent (31%) in the oil from the stem bark, cubebols in that from the root bark. The antioxidant and antiradical activities of the essential oils were found to be low.

Description

Deciduous, monoecious, small tree up to 12(–20) m tall; bole branchless for up to 7.5 m, straight and cylindrical, up to 70 cm in diameter; bark surface grey, longitudinally fissured, inner bark with reddish veins; crown oblong to pyramid-shaped, usually dense; young twigs short-hairy. Leaves alternate but often clustered at the ends of branchlets, paripinnately compound with 8–18 leaflets; stipules absent; petiole and rachis together up to 30(–40) cm long; petiolules 1–3 mm long; leaflets alternate to nearly opposite, lanceolate-elliptical, 5–15 cm × 2–6 cm, rounded and asymmetrical at base, obtuse at apex, margins irregularly wavy or toothed with rounded teeth, densely hairy when young, pinnately veined. Inflorescence an axillary panicle up to 30 cm long, often several together, short-hairy. Flowers unisexual, male and female flowers very similar in appearance, regular, (4–)5-merous, whitish; pedicel 2–4 mm long; calyx lobed almost to the base, c. 1.5 mm long; petals free, boat-shaped, 3.5–5 mm long, spreading; stamens fused into an urn-shaped tube c. 3 mm long, with (8–)10 lobes, each lobe 2-fid and with a sessile anther; ovary superior, 4–5-celled, style-head disk-shaped; male flowers with rudimentary ovary, female flowers with non-dehiscing anthers. Fruit a narrowly obovoid to club-shaped capsule 7–14.5 cm long, erect, brown, dehiscing with 5 woody valves, with fibres between the valves, many-seeded. Seeds 4–6 cm long, pale brown, winged at apex.

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Other botanical information

Pseudocedrela comprises a single species, and is characterized by its wavy-toothed leaflets and erect fruits.

Anatomy

Wood-anatomical description (IAWA hardwood codes):
Growth rings: 1: growth ring boundaries distinct. Vessels: 5: wood diffuse-porous; 13: simple perforation plates; 22: intervessel pits alternate; 23: shape of alternate pits polygonal; 24: intervessel pits minute (≤ 4 μm); 30: vessel-ray pits with distinct borders; similar to intervessel pits in size and shape throughout the ray cell; 42: mean tangential diameter of vessel lumina 100–200 μm; 46: ≤ 5 vessels per square millimetre; 47: 5–20 vessels per square millimetre; 58: gums and other deposits in heartwood vessels. Tracheids and fibres: 61: fibres with simple to minutely bordered pits; 65: septate fibres present; 66: non-septate fibres present; 69: fibres thin- to thick-walled. Axial parenchyma: 76: axial parenchyma diffuse; 78: axial parenchyma scanty paratracheal; 79: axial parenchyma vasicentric; (85: axial parenchyma bands more than three cells wide); (86: axial parenchyma in narrow bands or lines up to three cells wide); 89: axial parenchyma in marginal or in seemingly marginal bands; 93: eight (5–8) cells per parenchyma strand. Rays: 98: larger rays commonly 4- to 10-seriate; (104: all ray cells procumbent); 106: body ray cells procumbent with one row of upright and/or square marginal cells; 115: 4–12 rays per mm. Storied structure: 122: rays and/or axial elements irregularly storied. Mineral inclusions: 136: prismatic crystals present; 137: prismatic crystals in upright and/or square ray cells; (141: prismatic crystals in non-chambered axial parenchyma cells).
(E. Uetimane, H. Beeckman & P.E. Gasson)

Growth and development

In Benin the mean annual growth in diameter is estimated at 7,5 mm. Trees flower in the middle of the dry season. Fruits take almost one year to ripen. The seeds are dispersed by wind.

Ecology

Pseudocedrela kotschyi occurs in savanna woodland and woody grassland, up to 1200 m altitude, on heavy and poorly drained soils. Trees are often subject to fire, but are very resistant and survive annual fire for over 50 years, as shown in a long-term experiment in central Côte d’Ivoire. In Uganda it has been observed that there is often profuse regeneration in the rainy season, and it has been suggested that the fires of the dry season improve the germination of the seeds. On the other hand, it has also been reported that seed is destroyed by fire and that regeneration in localities that are subject to regular fire is limited to root suckers.

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Propagation and planting

The 1000-seed weight is about 230 g. The seeds lose viability rapidly, and should be sown soon after collection. Immersion in hot water and soaking for one night improve the germination results. The seeds can be stored for up to 2 months in sealed containers in a cool place. They are easily attacked by insects and it is recommended that ash is added when they are stored. Seedlings have a long taproot, making transplanting difficult. The plant develops root suckers, by which it can spread fairly well, resulting in clumps of trees.

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Management

In Uganda Pseudocedrela kotschyi is grown in pure stands or mixed with other trees such as mango and cashew nut. The tree can be managed by coppicing and pollarding. In natural stands, the bole is often low-branching and stunted because of fire damage, and this has great influence on the timber quality and quantity.

Diseases and pests

Harvesting

For sustainable exploitation in northern Benin, a minimum felling diameter of 55 cm is required.

Genetic resources and breeding

Pseudocedrela kotschyi is widespread and locally common or even gregarious. However, it is irregularly distributed and in some regions within its distribution area uncommon or even absent.

Prospects

Pseudocedrela kotschyi is an important savanna tree, providing not only timber, but also firewood and shade; it is also an important source of ingredients for local medicine. Some protection from fire is needed to allow the trees to develop straight, high-branching boles, which then produce timber of excellent quality. Uncontrolled collection of the bark and roots for medicinal purposes may locally threaten populations, and methods of collection that have no adverse effects should be developed. Preliminary screening for pharmacological activities for the development of modern plant-based drugs showed promising results.

Major references

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• Styles, B.T. & White, F., 1991. Meliaceae. In: Polhill, R.M. (Editor). Flora of Tropical East Africa. A.A. Balkema, Rotterdam, Netherlands. 68 pp.

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Other references

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• Ahua, K.M., Ioset, J.-R., Ioset, K.N., Diallo, D., Mauël, J. & Hostettmann, K., 2007. Antileishmanial activities associated with plants used in the Malian traditional medicine. Journal of Ethnopharmacology 110: 99–104.
• Akah, P.A., Nwafor, S.V., Okoli, C.O. & Orji, U.I., 2001. Evaluation of the antiulcer properties of Pseudocedrela kotschyi stem bark extract. Discovery and Innovation 13(3/4): 132–135.
• Akoègninou, A., van der Burg, W.J. & van der Maesen, L.J.G. (Editors), 2006. Flore analytique du Bénin. Backhuys Publishers, Leiden, Netherlands. 1034 pp.
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• Boyom, F.F., Fotio, D., Zollo, P.H.A., Agnaniet, H., Menut, C. & Bessière, J.M., 2004. Aromatic plants of tropical Central Africa. Part XLIV. Volatile components from Pseudocedrela kotschyi (Schweinf.) Harms growing in Cameroon. Flavour and Fragrance Journal 19(1): 9–11.
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Afriref references

Sources of illustration

• Akoègninou, A., van der Burg, W.J. & van der Maesen, L.J.G. (Editors), 2006. Flore analytique du Bénin. Backhuys Publishers, Leiden, Netherlands. 1034 pp.

Author(s)

•	R.H.M.J. Lemmens PROTA Network Office Europe, Wageningen University, P.O. Box 341, 6700 AH Wageningen, Netherlands

Editors

•	D. Louppe CIRAD, Département Environnements et Sociétés, Cirad es-dir, Campus international de Baillarguet, TA C-DIR / B (Bât. C, Bur. 113), 34398 Montpellier Cedex 5, France
•	A.A. Oteng-Amoako Forestry Research Institute of Ghana (FORIG), University P.O. Box 63, KNUST, Kumasi, Ghana
•	M. Brink PROTA Network Office Europe, Wageningen University, P.O. Box 341, 6700 AH Wageningen, Netherlands

General editors

•	R.H.M.J. Lemmens PROTA Network Office Europe, Wageningen University, P.O. Box 341, 6700 AH Wageningen, Netherlands
•	L.P.A. Oyen PROTA Network Office Europe, Wageningen University, P.O. Box 341, 6700 AH Wageningen, Netherlands
•	J.R. Cobbinah Forestry Research Institute of Ghana (FORIG), University P.O. Box 63, KNUST, Kumasi, Ghana

Photo editor

•	G.H. Schmelzer PROTA Network Office Europe, Wageningen University, P.O. Box 341, 6700 AH Wageningen, Netherlands

Correct citation of this article

Lemmens, R.H.M.J., 2008. Pseudocedrela kotschyi (Schweinf.) Harms. [Internet] Record from PROTA4U. Louppe, D., Oteng-Amoako, A.A. & Brink, M. (Editors). PROTA (Plant Resources of Tropical Africa / Ressources végétales de l’Afrique tropicale), Wageningen, Netherlands. <http://www.prota4u.org/search.asp>. Accessed .

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