Aeschynomene elaphroxylon
Fabaceae FAMILY Least Concern

Aeschynomene elaphroxylon

Aeschynomene elaphroxylon

Edibility
0/5
Medicinal
0/5

Safety & Hazards

None known

Botanical Description

Aeschynomene elaphroxylon is a large shrub or small tree with prickly stems, growing up to 9 metres tall with occasional specimens up to 12 metres[ 299 Title Protabase - Plant Resources of Tropical Africa. Publication Author Website http://www.prota.org Publisher Year 0 ISBN Description An excellent on-line database with detailed information on over 3,200 species of useful plants of Africa. , 332 Title The Useful Plants of West Tropical Africa. Publication Author Burkil. H. M. Publisher Royal Botanic Gardens; Kew. Year 1985 - 2004 ISBN Description Brief descriptions and details of the uses of over 4,000 plants. A superb, if terse, resource, it is also available electronically on the Web - see http://www.aluka.org/ ]. This species is one of the main sources of ambatch wood, a very light, pithy wood that can be used like balsa wood. It is used for a range of purposes such as floats and making canoes. It is often utilised locally and has the potential for wider application as a balsa wood substitute[ 299 Title Protabase - Plant Resources of Tropical Africa. Publication Author Website http://www.prota.org Publisher Year 0 ISBN Description An excellent on-line database with detailed information on over 3,200 species of useful plants of Africa. , 328 Title African Flowering Plants Database Publication Author Website http://www.ville-ge.ch/musinfo/bd/cjb/africa/recherche.php Publisher Conservatoire et Jardin Botaniques. Year 0 ISBN Description Contains information on over 150,000 plant names (including synonyms) giving a description and habitat, plus a distribution map. ]. The tree is sometimes grown as an ornamental and for soil stabilization purposes. Aeschynomene elaphroxylon is widespread with stable populations and does not face any major threats. The plant is classified as 'Least Concern' in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species(2019)[ 338 Title IUCN Red List of Threatened Species Publication Author Website http://www.iucnredlist.org/ Publisher Year 0 ISBN Description A list of plants under threat and facing possible extinction, usually with brief details of the threats and information on habitat. ].

Habitat & Origin

Origintropical
Native RangeTropical Africa - Senegal east to Ethiopia and Kenya and south to Zambia, Angola and Mozambique.
HabitatLakesides and pools; swamps bordering lakes; usually standing in 1 - 2 metres of water (with dense mats of adventitious roots from the stems); often in extensive stands; at elevations of 70 - 1,850 metres[ 328 Title African Flowering Plants Database Publication Author Website http://www.ville-ge.ch/musinfo/bd/cjb/africa/recherche.php Publisher Conservatoire et Jardin Botaniques. Year 0 ISBN Description Contains information on over 150,000 plant names (including synonyms) giving a description and habitat, plus a distribution map. ].