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    Euclea

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    Wesley kibet6
    This document provides information on the Euclea divinorum tree species found in Kenya. It describes the physical characteristics and uses. It is commonly found throughout Kenya and used for firewood, timber, medicine, fodder, dye, and more. Propagation is through seedlings and root suckers. It is one of the most important medicinal plants in Kenya.

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    Euclea

    Uploaded by

    Wesley kibet6
    50 views1 page
    This document provides information on the Euclea divinorum tree species found in Kenya. It describes the physical characteristics and uses. It is commonly found throughout Kenya and used for firewood, timber, medicine, fodder, dye, and more. Propagation is through seedlings and root suckers. It is one of the most important medicinal plants in Kenya.

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    Euclea

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    This document provides information on the Euclea divinorum tree species found in Kenya. It describes the physical characteristics and uses. It is commonly found throughout Kenya and used for firewood, timber, medicine, fodder, dye, and more. Propagation is through seedlings and root suckers. It is one of the most important medicinal plants in Kenya.

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Download as pdf or txt
    50 views1 page

    Euclea

    Uploaded by

    Wesley kibet6
    This document provides information on the Euclea divinorum tree species found in Kenya. It describes the physical characteristics and uses. It is commonly found throughout Kenya and used for firewood, timber, medicine, fodder, dye, and more. Propagation is through seedlings and root suckers. It is one of the most important medicinal plants in Kenya.

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
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    of 1

    USEFUL TREES AND SHRUBS FOR KENYA

    Euclea divinorum Ebenaceae


    Indigenous building houses and grain stores. Branches used as
    COMMON NAMES: English: Diamond-leaved euclea; Kamba: toothbrushes (hence the Kikuyu and Mbeere names). The
    Mukinyai, Mukuthi (Mwala-Machakos), Nginyai (fruit); tree is used for ceremonies among the Pokot (regarded as
    Kikuyu: Mukinyai, Mukinyei; Kipsigis: Usuet; Luhya: a tree of peace) and the Tugen use the burning wood for
    Muswa; Luhya (Bukusu): Kumuchanjaasi; Luo: smoking milk gourds. A closely related species is E.
    Achondradoho, Akado, Ochol, Ochond radoho; Maasai:
    Olkinyei, Ilkinyei (plural), Osojo (Narok), Isojon (plural); racemosa subsp. schimperi (syn. E. schimperi). This too
    Mbeere: Mukiinyi, Mukinyi; Meru: Mukiinyei, Mukirinyei; has edible fruit and similar other uses. A black dye can
    Nandi: Usuet; Pokomo: Munyiza; Pokot: Cheptuyis (plural), be obtained from the roots. It is also common throughout
    Cheptuya; Sabaot: Shiendet, Uswa, Wuswet, Cheptuishak;
    the country. Another species, E. natalensis, has a mainly
    Samburu: Shinghe, Ilchinge, Lchinge; Taita: Mmbuku; Teso:
    Emus; Tharaka: Mukonde; Tugen: Uswet. coastal distribution.
    DESCRIPTION: An evergreen shrub, bush or small tree, FURTHER READING: Backes and Ahenda, 1998; Beentje, 1994;
    Bekele-Tesemmaet aI., 1993 (E. schimperi); Dharani, 2002;
    usually 3-5 m, with dense foliage. BARK: Ash grey, ITDG and I1RR, 1996; Kokwaro, 1993; Maundu et aI., 1999;
    darker, cracking and flaking with age. LEAVES: Mostly Mbuya et aI., 1994; Noad and Bimie, 1989; Palgrave and
    opposite, but appear spiral, dull green, stiff, long and Palgrave, 2002.
    narrowly oval to 8 cm, tip blunt, edge wavy, brownish
    powdery scales below. FLOWERS: Very small, cream,
    sweet-scented, in small sprays which persist on the tree.
    Male and female on separate trees. FRUIT: Small, round,
    to 8 mm, green ripening purple-black with thin edible
    flesh around the seeds.
    ECOLOGY: A tree occurring from Sudan to southern Africa.
    Widely distributed throughout Kenya in subhumid and
    semi-arid bushland, woodland and disturbed dry upland
    forests, 0-2,500 m. Most common between 1,400 and
    2,200 m. In lowlands, mainly found near watercourses
    and areas with groundwater, especially on black soil.
    Quickly becoming the dominant species after bush
    clearing, as on the Laikipia plateau and Loita highlands.
    Agroclimatic Zones II-V. Fruits in August in West Pokot.
    USES: Firewood, timber (construction), tool handles,
    walking sticks, edible fruit, soup (bark added as an
    appetizer), medicine (roots, bark and leaves), fodder, bee
    forage, shade, dye (roots and bark), ceremonial, tooth-
    brushes, veterinary medicine.
    PROPAGATION: Seedlings. Produces root suckers.
    REMARKS: Root suckers grow up some distance from the
    tree. The wood is hard and close grained. E. divino rum is
    one of the most important medicinal plants. Ripe fruits
    have edible pulp. Bark is added to soup together with
    Rhamnus prinoides as an appetizer CKipsigis, Maasai).
    The wood is hard but the timber usually small; used for

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