Erythrophleum suaveolens
| Ordeal Tree | |
|---|---|
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| (unranked): | Angiosperms |
| (unranked): | Eudicots |
| (unranked): | Rosids |
| Order: | Fabales |
| Family: | Fabaceae |
| Genus: | Erythrophleum |
| Species: | E. suaveolens |
| Binomial name | |
| Erythrophleum suaveolens (Guill. & Perr.) Brenan | |
| Synonyms | |
|
Fillaea suaveolens Guill. & Perr. | |
Erythrophleum suaveolens is a species of plants that can be found in Mozambique[1] and Zimbabwe. The species are 20 metres (66 ft) in height, and have a rough and blackish bark. The plants liaves have 2–3 pairs of pinnae, which carry 7–13 leaflets. The leaflets are 5 by 2.5 centimetres (1.97 in × 0.98 in), are green coloured and ovate. The flowers have fluffy spikes, and are creamy-yellow coloured. Fruits are hard, the pod of which is flat.[2]
The bark of the tree has been used in Liberia to make a toxic concoction used for a form of trial by ordeal called "sassywood".[3] This use has given it the common name of the "Ordeal Tree".[4]
References
- ↑ Mozambique distribution
- ↑ Zimbabwian distribution and description
- ↑ Leeson, P. T.; Coyne, C. J. (2012). "Sassywood" (PDF). Journal of Comparative Economics 40 (4): 608. doi:10.1016/j.jce.2012.02.002.
- ↑ "Erythrophleum suaveolens". Urban Forest. Retrieved 27 December 2015.
External links
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