Uvariodendron anisatum (PROTA)
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| Geographic coverage Africa |
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| Geographic coverage World |
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| Timber |
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Uvariodendron anisatum Verdc.
- Protologue: Kew Bull. 10: 596 (1955).
- Family: Annonaceae
Origin and geographic distribution
The distribution of Uvariodendron anisatum is limited to central and southern Kenya.
Uses
The wood is used for walking sticks and handles of axes.
Description
- Shrub or small tree up to 9(–15) m tall; bole up to 40 cm in diameter; bark surface smooth, grey-brown; twigs with lenticels, glabrous, with an odour of anise when crushed.
- Leaves alternate, simple and entire; stipules absent; petiole 4–7 mm long, thick; blade oblong to elliptical, 8–30 cm × 3.5–11 cm, cuneate to rounded at base, acute to obtuse at apex, thinly leathery, slightly short-hairy below, pinnately veined with 16–21 pairs of lateral veins.
- Flowers solitary in the leaf axils or on branches or bole, bisexual, regular, 3-merous, pendulous, scented; pedicel 2.5–3.5 cm long; sepals free, kidney-shaped, 5–6 mm long, short-hairy outside; petals 6, in 2 whorls, ovate to elliptical-obovate, 2–2.5 cm long, fleshy, velvety brown hairy outside, creamy white to yellow; stamens numerous, c. 2 mm long, anthers sessile; carpels 5–15, free, c. 3.5 mm long, hairy.
- Fruit consisting of 4–15 indehiscent cylindrical follicles 2.5–6 cm × 1.5–2 cm, becoming glabrous, bluish black, slightly constricted between the seeds, each follicle 5–16-seeded.
- Seeds ellipsoid, flattened, 1–1.5 cm × c. 1 cm, pale brown, with ruminate endosperm.
Other botanical information
Uvariodendron comprises about 15 species and is restricted to tropical Africa.
Ecology
Uvariodendron anisatum occurs in rather dry evergreen forest at 1150–1800 m altitude. It is locally common.
Genetic resources
Being endemic to Kenya, Uvariodendron anisatum has a small distribution area, in which there is much human activity such as development of urban areas and agriculture. In the IUCN Red List it is classified as vulnerable.
Prospects
The use of the wood will remain of limited importance. Monitoring of the populations is needed because Uvariodendron anisatum may become threatened with extinction in the near future.
Major references
- Beentje, H.J., 1994. Kenya trees, shrubs and lianas. National Museums of Kenya, Nairobi, Kenya. 722 pp.
- Verdcourt, B., 1971. Annonaceae. In: Milne-Redhead, E. & Polhill, R.M. (Editors). Flora of Tropical East Africa. Crown Agents for Oversea Governments and Administrations, London, United Kingdom. 131 pp.
- World Conservation Monitoring Centre, 1998. Uvariodendron anisatum. In: IUCN. 2008 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. [Internet] http://www.iucnredlist.org. January 2009.
Other references
- Couvreur, T.L.P., 2008. Revealing the secrets of African Annonaceae. Systematics, evolution and biogeography of the syncarpous genera Isolona and Monodora. PhD thesis Wageningen University, Netherlands. 296 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., 2009. Uvariodendron anisatum Verdc. [Internet] Record from PROTA4U. 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 16 September 2026.
- See the Prota4U database.