White stinkwood
Celtis africana Burm.f.
Celtis africana, known as white stinkwood, is a deciduous tree in the Cannabaceae family. It occurs from Yemen and Somaliland across Africa south of the Sahara. The species is found in a range of habitats, from forest to open country and rocky soil. The tree is recognized for the distinct odor of its freshly cut timber, similar to that of Ocotea bullata. It is a widespread and accepted species, occurring in many parts of southern and eastern Africa.
Description
Celtis africana is a medium to large deciduous tree found in open forest, thicket, and forest galleries. It is distributed across Angola, Botswana, Burundi, Cameroon, and many other regions in sub-Saharan Africa. The species was first described by Burman in 1768, though the original diagnosis was based on an illustration from 1739. Due to ambiguities in the original description, an epitype has been designated to clarify the species' identity. The tree is used for timber, firewood, and medicinal purposes, as well as for making artefacts. Local names include 'mutuje' in some regions.
Other common names
White stinkwood
Distribution
Angola · Botswana · Burundi · Cameroon · Cape Provinces · Central African Repu · Comoros · Eritrea · Ethiopia · Free State · Gambia · Ghana · Guinea · Kenya · KwaZulu-Natal · Lesotho · Madagascar · Malawi · Mozambique · Namibia · Nigeria · Northern Provinces · Rwanda · Saudi Arabia · Senegal · Somalia · Sudan · Swaziland · Tanzania · Uganda
Synonyms
Celtis burmanniCeltis erianthaCeltis henriqueziiCeltis holtziiCeltis kraussianaCeltis opegraphaCeltis vesiculosaCeltis kraussiana var. flavescensCeltis kraussiana var. stolzii