Ludia mauritiana (PROTA)

Plant Resources of Tropical Africa Introduction

List of species

General importance
Geographic coverage World

Ludia mauritiana J.F.Gmel.

Protologue: Syst. nat. 2(1): 839 (1791).

Family: Flacourtiaceae (APG: Salicaceae)

Synonyms

Ludia sessiliflora Lam. (1792), Ludia ambrensis H.Perrier (1940).

Vernacular names

Mfuwate (Sw).

Origin and geographic distribution

Ludia mauritiana occurs in southern Kenya, Tanzania, Mozambique, Mayotte, Madagascar, Seychelles and Mauritius.

Uses

In Tanzania the wood is used for poles in construction, mine props, furniture, railway sleepers, implements and tool handles, and also as firewood and for charcoal production. In Mauritius it has been used for wheels of barrows.

Properties

The wood of Ludia mauritiana is heavy and hard. The wood of an unidentified species of Ludia from Madagascar has been tested. The wood was heavy, with a density of 950–960 kg/m³ at 12% moisture content. The rates of shrinkage were high, from green to oven dry 4.9–6.1% radial and 13.4–13.9% tangential. At 12% moisture content, the modulus of rupture was 216–225 N/mm², modulus of elasticity 17,940–18,050 N/mm², compression parallel to grain 86–87 N/mm², shear 12.5–13.5 N/mm², cleavage 19–29 N/mm and Chalais-Meudon side hardness 7.1–8.2.

Description

Evergreen shrub or small tree up to 10(–15) m tall; bark surface greyish; twigs usually glabrous, with numerous lenticels. Leaves alternate, simple and entire; stipules absent; petiole 2–8 mm long; blade oblong to oblanceolate or obovate, 3–9 cm × 2–4(–6) cm, cuneate at base, obtuse or slightly acuminate at apex, leathery, glabrous, glossy, pinnately veined with 6–8 pairs of steeply ascending lateral veins. Flowers usually solitary in leaf axils, bisexual, regular, small, yellowish white, subtended by several small bracts; pedicel 0.5–1 mm long; sepals 5(–6), free, ovate to rounded, 2(–3) mm long, densely short-hairy; petals absent; stamens numerous, free; disk consisting of up to 15 glands; ovary superior, glabrous, style 3–5 mm long, with 3 short lobes at apex. Fruit an ovoid to globose, berry-like capsule 1–1.5 cm in diameter, finely warty, reddish, tardily and irregularly dehiscent, 3–8(–12)-seeded. Seeds ovoid, c. 2 mm long.

Other botanical information

In Madagascar Ludia mauritiana trees flower in November–January, in Kenya and Tanzania in December–May. Fruits ripen 1–2 months after flowering.

Ludia comprises about 25 species and occurs from East Africa to the Mascarene islands. All species are endemic to Madagascar except Ludia comorensis H.Perrier, which is endemic to Comoros, and Ludia mauritiana. Ludia is classified in the tribe Flacourtieae, together with e.g. Dovyalis, Flacourtia and Xylosma.

In Madagascar the wood of some Ludia spp. is used.

Ludia antanosarum

Ludia antanosarum Capuron & Sleumer is a small tree up to 12 m tall with bole up to 20 cm in diameter, occurring in eastern Madagascar. Its hard and durable wood is used in house construction.

Ludia dracaenoides

Ludia dracaenoides H.Perrier is a large shrub or small tree up to 15 m tall, occurring in northern Madagascar. Its wood is used for utensils.

Ludia scolopioides

Ludia scolopioides Capuron & Sleumer is a shrub or small to medium-sized tree up to 20(–30) m tall with bole up to 45 cm in diameter, occurring in northern, central and eastern Madagascar. Its pinkish brown wood is used for construction purposes.

Ecology

In East Africa Ludia mauritiana occurs in dry evergreen forest and thickets, up to 1750 m altitude. In Madagascar and Mauritius it is found in dry to slightly moist forest up to 1300 m altitude. It occurs on various soil types, from limestone to laterite and sandy soils.

Genetic resources

Ludia mauritiana is widespread and not commonly exploited for its wood. Therefore, it does not seem to be under threat of genetic erosion, although it appears to be uncommon in many parts of its distribution area.

Prospects

Ludia mauritiana and other Ludia spp. have no prospects for timber exploitation on a larger scale because the trees are usually too small and occur too scattered. The wood will remain useful on a local scale for purposes where durability and strength are important.

Major references

• Lovett, J.C., Ruffo, C.K. & Gereau, R.E., 2003. Field guide to the moist forest trees of Tanzania. [Internet] Centre for Ecology Law and Policy, Environment Department, University of York, York, United Kingdom. 192 pp. http://www.cepf.net/ Documents/ Final_LovettRuffoGereau_FieldGuide.pdf. August 2011.

• Sallenave, P., 1971. Propriétés physiques et mécaniques des bois tropicaux. Deuxième supplément. Centre Technique Forestier Tropical, Nogent-sur-Marne, France. 128 pp.

• Sleumer, H., 1972. Révision du genre Ludia Comm. ex Juss. (Flacourtiacées). Adansonia, sér. 2, 12(1): 79–102.

• Sleumer, H. & Bosser, J., 1980. Flacourtiacées. In: Bosser, J., Cadet, T., Julien, H.R. & Marais, W. (Editors). Flore des Mascareignes. Familles 31–50. The Sugar Industry Research Institute, Mauritius, l’Office de la Recherche Scientifique Outre-Mer, Paris, France & Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, Richmond, United Kingdom. 26 pp.

• Takahashi, A., 1978. Compilation of data on the mechanical properties of foreign woods (part 3) Africa. Shimane University, Matsue, Japan. 248 pp.

Other references

• Beentje, H.J., 1994. Kenya trees, shrubs and lianas. National Museums of Kenya, Nairobi, Kenya. 722 pp.

• Boiteau, P., Boiteau, M. & Allorge-Boiteau, L., 1999. Dictionnaire des noms malgaches de végétaux. 4 Volumes + Index des noms scientifiques avec leurs équivalents malgaches. Editions Alzieu, Grenoble, France.

• Guéneau, P., 1971. Bois de Madagascar. Possibilités d’emploi. Centre Technique Forestier Tropical, Antananarivo, Madagascar. 75 pp.

• Perrier de la Bâthie, H., 1946. Flacourtiacées (Flacourtiaceae). Flore de Madagascar et des Comores (plantes vasculaires), famille 140. Imprimerie Officielle, Tananarive, Madagascar. 131 pp.

• Schatz, G.E., 2001. Generic tree flora of Madagascar. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, Richmond, United Kingdom. 477 pp.

Author(s)

• R.H.M.J. Lemmens, PROTA Network Office Europe, Wageningen University, P.O. Box 341, 6700 AH Wageningen, Netherlands

Correct citation of this article

Lemmens, R.H.M.J., 2012. Ludia mauritiana J.F.Gmel. In: Lemmens, R.H.M.J., Louppe, D. & Oteng-Amoako, A.A. (Editors). PROTA (Plant Resources of Tropical Africa / Ressources végétales de l’Afrique tropicale), Wageningen, Netherlands. Accessed 23 April 2026.

• See the Prota4U database.