Brachystegia utilis Hutch. & Burtt Davy

Leguminosae, J. B. Gillett, R. M. Polhill & B. Verdcourt. Flora of Tropical East Africa. 1971

Morphology General Habit

Tree 6–15(–20) m. high; bark narrowly fissured and rather finely reticulate, grey at first, becoming rough and shedding slowly in rather thick scales, often brown to black in age; crown rounded or flattish, dense, bushy; mature foliage rather dark green.

Morphology Leaves Stipules

Stipules free, subulate from a broader oblique base or falcate-subfoliaceous, 0.5–1.5 cm. long, usually caducous; auricle 0.

Morphology Leaves

Leaves with 5–10(–12) subequal pairs of leaflets, the pairs contiguous or slightly spaced; petiole (2–)4–8(–10) mm. long; rhachis (4–)5–9(–12) cm. long, channelled, very narrowly winged, usually pubescent to tomentose with spreading hairs; stipels consisting of short semilunar expansions, closely below each pair of leaflets, or 0; leaflets mostly oblong to elliptic and rounded at both ends, (1–)2–4(–5) × 0.5–1.5(–1.8) cm., often retuse, sometimes mucronate, rarely narrowed at apex, asymmetric but rarely very oblique at base; midrib subcentral; basal fanwise nerves 2–3(–4); surfaces usually mat and concolorous, closely reticulate, densely pubescent to glabrous.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences

Panicles terminal or terminal and axillary, up to 5 × 5 cm., pubescent to tomentose (more so than the leaves) with spreading brown or rusty hairs.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers

Flowers small, greenish; bracteoles 4–5(–6) × 3–4 mm.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Tepal

Tepals usually all sepaloid and broad, imbricate; outer 5(–6) subequal, up to 3 × 2 mm., free or with 2 or 3 partly connate, thin, margin usually translucent, glabrous or shortly and sparsely ciliate; inner 0 or 1, narrow or rudimentary.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Androecium Stamens

Stamens ± 10; filaments free, 6–8 mm. long.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Pistil

Ovary 2–3 × 1 mm., very densely crispate-setose; style 6–7 mm. long; stigma small.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Pod thinly woody, up to 12 × 3.5 cm. (usually seen much smaller), smooth, maturing yellowish or pinkish-brown, at first ± pruinose; sutural wings thin, normally spreading, each up to 4 mm. wide.

Figures

Fig. 35/10, p. 160.

Habitat

Deciduous woodland, locally dominant or co-dominant; 300–1830 m., mainly above 1000 m. (lower in T8 on sandy valley soils). Typically in zones or groups on ridges, scarps and slopes, notably in shallow, stony or gritty soils over granite, etc., below B. microphylla (q.v.); often with Julbernardia globiflora or in mixed woodland.

Distribution

T4 T5 T7 T8

Extinction risk predictions for the world's flowering plants to support their conservation (2024). Bachman, S.P., Brown, M.J.M., Leão, T.C.C., Lughadha, E.N., Walker, B.E. https://nph.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/nph.19592

Conservation

Predicted extinction risk: not threatened. Confidence: confident

Leguminosae, R.K. Brummitt, A.C. Chikuni, J.M. Lock and R.M. Polhill. Flora Zambesiaca 3:2. 2007

Morphology General Habit

Tree up to 20 m tall; bark shallowly fissured or coarsely reticulate.

Morphology Branches

Young branchlets pubescent.

Morphology Leaves

Leaves 5–13 cm long; petioles 2–8(10) mm long; rachis deeply canaliculate above with raised and winged margins; leaflets in 6–10 contiguous pairs, the middle pairs the largest, the proximal pairs 1.5–2.5 × 0.5–1 cm, the middle ones 2.5–6 × 0.8–1.8 cm, the distal ones 2–6 × 0.8–1.2 cm, oblong or lanceolate, acute, rounded, retuse or emarginate at the apex, obliquely rounded at the base, midvein central or subcentral, 2–3(4) veins from the proximal leaflet base.

Morphology Leaves Stipules

Stipules caducous, free, erect, 2.5–15 × 3–5 mm, subulate; auricles absent.

Morphology General Buds

Dormant axillary buds globose.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences

Inflorescences in terminal and/or axillary panicles up to 8 cm long; bracts 2–3 × 1.5–2 mm, ovate.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers

Flowers up to 3–5 × 2–3 mm; bracteoles 4–7 × 3–4 mm, obovate or circular.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx

Sepals 5, 1.5–3 × 1–2.5 mm, linear, obong, rhombic or lanceolate, imbricate or valvate, ciliate on the margins.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla

Petals absent.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Androecium Stamens

Stamens 10, united to 0.5 mm at the base, filaments 6–10 mm long.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Ovary

Ovary 2–3 × 1–2 mm, densely pubescent, oblong, stipe up to 2 mm long.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Pods 5–12 × 2–3.5 cm, oblong or obovate, ventral flanges spreading, revolute or suberect, up to 4 mm wide.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds

Seeds up to 6, up to 20 × 15 mm, circular to oblong.

IUCN Red List of Threatened Species https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/146197963/146197965

Conservation

LC - least concern