| Turraeanthus africanus | |
|---|---|
| Conservation status | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| (unranked): | Angiosperms |
| (unranked): | Eudicots |
| (unranked): | Rosids |
| Order: | Sapindales |
| Family: | Meliaceae |
| Genus: | Turraeanthus |
| Species: | T. africanus |
| Binomial name | |
| Turraeanthus africanus (Welw.) Pellegr. |
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Turraeanthus africanus is a species of plant in the Meliaceae (Mahogany) family. It is found in Angola, Benin, Cameroon, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ivory Coast, Equatorial Guinea, Ghana, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, and Uganda. The genus name is derived from the botanist Turra (1607-1688) of Padua, Italy and arithos, a Greek word meaning flower.[1] Common names are: Avodire, apeya, engan, agbe, lusamba, wansenwa, African Satinwood, and African White Mahogany. It is threatened by habitat loss.
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Turraeanthus africanus is described as a tree of the rain forest, typically, 115 ft. (35m), and having a trunk diameter of 2 to 3 ft. (0.6-0.9m). The wood of this tree has a specific gravity of 0.48.[2] It is commonly creamy white or pale yellow but will darken upon exposure to ultra-violet light to a golden yellow color. It has an interlocked wood grain producing various figures: striped, curly, or mottled.[3]
A preparation from the bark of this plant is used by Baka people in southeastern Cameroon to stun fish[4]. Avodire wood has long been valued in furniture for its naturally lustrous surface, which has led to the name African Satinwood. Commonly, the highly figured wood is used for veneers in panelling and marquetry.