Ocotea usambarensis

Ocotea usambarensis
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
(unranked):	Angiosperms
(unranked):	Magnoliids
Order:	Laurales
Family:	Lauraceae
Genus:	Ocotea
Species:	O. usambarensis
Binomial name
Ocotea usambarensis Engl.

Ocotea usambarensis is a species of Ocotea (family Lauraceae), native to eastern Africa in Kenya, Tanzania, and locally in Uganda, where it occurs at 1600-2600 m altitude in high rainfall montane cloud forest. Common names include East African Camphorwood, Mkulo (Tanzania), Mwiha (Uganda), Muwong, and Maasi.

It is a large evergreen tree growing to 35 m (exceptionally 45 m) tall, with fast growth (up to 2 m per year) when young. The leaves are opposite (sometimes alternate on fast-growing stems), elliptic to oval, 4-16 cm long and 2.5-9 cm wide, dark green above, pale below, with an entire margin and an acuminate apex. The foliage has a distinct scent of camphor. The flowers are inconspicuous, greenish-yellow; the fruit is a small drupe 1 cm long.

Uses

It is an important timber tree, valued for the resistance of its wood to fungal decay.

References

• AgroForestry Tree Database: Ocotea usambarensis
• FAO Indigenous multipurpose trees of Tanzania: Ocotea usambarensis