''Pterocarpus mildbraedii'' is a semi-deciduous tree within the family Fabaceae. It is known as 'Oha' in Southeastern Nigeria and as 'Aguaya' in Ivory Coast.

Description

A perennial and

semi-deciduous Semi-deciduous or semi-evergreen is a botanical term which refers to plants that lose their foliage for a very short period, when old leaves fall off and new foliage growth is starting. This phenomenon occurs in tropical and sub-tropical woody spe ...

non climbing tree that can reach 25 m in height and has a small rounded crown. Its bark is smooth but sometimes longitudinally cracked and greyish to pale brown in color exuding a red latex. Leaves are alternate and imparipinnately compound, the younger leaves tend to be light green but upon maturity it becomes a darker shade of green. Leaflets are ovate to elliptical in shape, acuminate at the apex while rounded at the base, they can reach up to 14 cm long and 7 cm wide. The flowers are golden yellow and he fruit is a large obovate semi transparent pod that is up to 12 cm long.

Distribution

It is distributed in West and Central Africa from Guinea to the Democratic Republic of Congo, and it is also found in the

Usambara mountains The Usambara Mountains of northeastern Tanzania in tropical East Africa, comprise the easternmost ranges of the Eastern Arc Mountains. The ranges of approximately long and about half that wide, are situated in the Lushoto District of the Tan ...

of Tanzania.

Uses

Leaves of the species are used as ingredients in the preparation of 'oha' soup in Nigeria. Leaf extracts are also used in traditional medicine for pain management. However, studies have shown the leaves to be high on hydrogen cyanide and

oxalate Oxalate (IUPAC: ethanedioate) is an anion with the formula C2O42−. This dianion is colorless. It occurs naturally, including in some foods. It forms a variety of salts, for example sodium oxalate (Na2C2O4), and several esters such as dimethyl ...

. In Ghana, it is considered to be suitable as a

shade tree A shade tree is a large tree whose primary role is to provide shade in the surrounding environment due to its spreading canopy and crown, where it may give shelter from sunlight in the heat of the summer for people who seek recreational needs i ...

in cocoa plantations.

References

mildbraedii Flora of West-Central Tropical Africa {{Fabaceae-tree-stub