''Millettia stuhlmannii'', commonly known as panga panga, is a well-known species of timber tree that is native to the southeastern Afrotropics. The wood of the tropical species '' M. laurentii'' has similar qualities and uses, but is slightly darker, and lacks the copious yellowish white

resin In polymer chemistry and materials science, resin is a solid or highly viscous substance of plant or synthetic origin that is typically convertible into polymers. Resins are usually mixtures of organic compounds. This article focuses on natu ...

of the heartwood vessels. Its foliage is similar to that of ''

Pterocarpus rotundifolius ''Pterocarpus rotundifolius'', the round-leaved bloodwood, is a species of Fabaceae, fabaceous tree that is native to mesic and well-watered woodlands of Africa south of the equator. Subspecies Up to three subspecies are recognized, but specimen ...

'', and it may be confused with the latter when observed from a distance. Panga Panga is often mistakenly called Partridge Wood, this is incorrect and an entirely different Genus.

Range and status

It is found in southern

Tanzania Tanzania (; ), officially the United Republic of Tanzania ( sw, Jamhuri ya Muungano wa Tanzania), is a country in East Africa within the African Great Lakes region. It borders Uganda to the north; Kenya to the northeast; Comoro Islands and ...

, eastern

Zimbabwe Zimbabwe (), officially the Republic of Zimbabwe, is a landlocked country located in Southeast Africa, between the Zambezi and Limpopo Rivers, bordered by South Africa to the south, Botswana to the south-west, Zambia to the north, and Mozam ...

Mozambique Mozambique (), officially the Republic of Mozambique ( pt, Moçambique or , ; ny, Mozambiki; sw, Msumbiji; ts, Muzambhiki), is a country located in southeastern Africa bordered by the Indian Ocean to the east, Tanzania to the north, Malawi ...

and very locally in the

Venda Venda () was a Bantustan in northern South Africa, which is fairly close to the South African border with Zimbabwe to the north, while to the south and east, it shared a long border with another black homeland, Gazankulu. It is now part of the ...

region of South Africa.At Ha-Makhuvha (22°46'S 30°23'E) where 159 specimens were left in 2007. See: T. Mutshinyalo, 2011. Though locally common or even dominant, over-utilization may deplete many populations. Besides harvesting for timber, their numbers are also depleted by unsustainable harvesting of bark and roots, which are employed for medicinal and magical purposes.

Description

The large compound leaves are greenish above and bluish green below, with one terminal and 7 to 9 pairs of opposite leaflets. It is deciduous, with the foliage emerging before flowering time. The large, lilac flowers appear from November to January as seasonal rains commence, and are produced on long, pendulous racemes. The woody seed pods are flat and velvety, and release their seeds when they split open due to increasing torsion. The

root nodule Root nodules are found on the roots of plants, primarily legumes, that form a symbiosis with nitrogen-fixing bacteria. Under nitrogen-limiting conditions, capable plants form a symbiotic relationship with a host-specific strain of bacteria known a ...

s have a symbiotic relationship with rhizobial bacteria.

Isolated chemicals

The

flavonoid Flavonoids (or bioflavonoids; from the Latin word ''flavus'', meaning yellow, their color in nature) are a class of polyphenolic secondary metabolites found in plants, and thus commonly consumed in the diets of humans. Chemically, flavonoids ...

robinetin has been isolated in the heartwood and the

α-amino acid Amino acids are organic compounds that contain both amino and carboxylic acid functional groups. Although hundreds of amino acids exist in nature, by far the most important are the alpha-amino acids, which comprise proteins. Only 22 alpha ami ...

(''S'')-

canavanine L-(+)-(''S'')-Canavanine is a non-proteinogenic amino acid found in certain leguminous plants. It is structurally related to the proteinogenic α-amino acid L- arginine, the sole difference being the replacement of a methylene bridge (-- unit) in ...

has been isolated from the seeds.

Timber value and trade

The highly priced and valued wood has a range of applications, including flooring, furniture, musical instruments and boat building. The heartwood is very durable, as it is not affected by

fungi A fungus ( : fungi or funguses) is any member of the group of eukaryotic organisms that includes microorganisms such as yeasts and molds, as well as the more familiar mushrooms. These organisms are classified as a kingdom, separately from ...

, dry-wood borers or

termite Termites are small insects that live in colonies and have distinct castes (eusocial) and feed on wood or other dead plant matter. Termites comprise the infraorder Isoptera, or alternatively the epifamily Termitoidae, within the order Blattode ...

s, but the sapwood is vulnerable to

powderpost beetle Powderpost beetles are a group of seventy species of woodboring beetles classified in the insect subfamily Lyctinae. These beetles, along with spider beetles, death watch beetles, common furniture beetles, Dermestidae, skin beetles, and others ...

s. It is locally sawn, and exported legally from Tanzania and Mozambique, especially

Zambezia Province Zambezia ( pt, Zambézia) is the second most-populous province of Mozambique, located in the central coastal region south-west of Nampula Province and north-east of Sofala Province. It has a population of 5.11 million, according to the 2017 censu ...

. It accounts for some 45% of timber legally exported from Tanzania, and much of it is bought by Chinese buyers, who in turn re-export a portion to the

West West or Occident is one of the four cardinal directions or points of the compass. It is the opposite direction from east and is the direction in which the Sunset, Sun sets on the Earth. Etymology The word "west" is a Germanic languages, German ...

References

{{Taxonbar, from=Q15486538 Trees of Africa Trees of South Africa stuhlmannii

Range and status

Description

Isolated chemicals

Timber value and trade

See also

References