Teclea nobilis Rutaceae Del. - World Agroforestry Centre

<strong>Teclea</strong> <strong>nobilis</strong><br />

LOCAL NAMES<br />

Amharic (atesa); English (small fruited teclea); Luganda (mubio)<br />

BOTANIC DESCRIPTION<br />

<strong>Teclea</strong> <strong>nobilis</strong> is an unarmed evergreen shrub or tree (3-)5-12 m high or<br />

much taller in rain forest; bark smooth or grey; branchlets glabrous.<br />

Leaves trifoliolate, occasionally 2-or 1 foliolate; petiole 1.5-6(-8) cm long,<br />

terete or sometimes slightly grooved at the apex usually glabrous; leaflets<br />

subsessile or with a petiolulate up to 10 mm long, oblong-elliptic, 5-15(-18)<br />

cm long, 1.5-4(-5.5) cm broad, acute to acuminate at the apex, narrowly<br />

cuneate at the base, glabrous, but sometimes puberulous on the midrib;<br />

lateral nerves numerous.<br />

Inflorescence of terminal and axillary panicles 4-15(-21) cm long,<br />

glabrous. Flowers polygamous. Sepals 4, united into a cupuliform calyx<br />

0.6-0.8 mm long; lobes small, ovate, ciliate. Petals 4(-5), narrowly elliptic,<br />

3.5-4 mm long, 1.5-1.7 mm broad. Male flowers with 4(-5) stamens 3-5.5<br />

mm long; anthers basifixed; rudimentary ovary slender and glabrous.<br />

Female flower with 4 or 5 staminodes 0.5-1.2 mm long. Ovary subglobose,<br />

1-1.4 mm in diameter, glabrous unilocular, 2-ovulate; style up to 0.5 mm<br />

long; stigma disk-shaped and peltate, 1 mm in diameter, red, glabrous,<br />

barely foveolate, wrinkled when dry, 1-seeded.<br />

Fruit yellow, orange or red, round or ellipsoid becoming wrinkled, 6-8 x 5-6<br />

mm.<br />

Seed ovoid, 5.5-6 mm long. The specific epithet <strong>nobilis</strong> is after the Latin<br />

word "<strong>nobilis</strong>simus" meaning noble or reknowned.<br />

BIOLOGY<br />

Dispersal of seeds in T. <strong>nobilis</strong> seems to rely little on frugivorous birds.<br />

<strong>Agroforestry</strong> Database 4.0 (Orwa et al.2009)<br />

<strong>Del</strong>.<br />

<strong>Rutaceae</strong><br />

Fruit and foliage (Bob Bailis)<br />

bole (Bob Bailis)<br />

T. <strong>nobilis</strong> leaves (Bob Bailis)<br />

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<strong>Teclea</strong> <strong>nobilis</strong><br />

<strong>Del</strong>.<br />

<strong>Rutaceae</strong><br />

ECOLOGY<br />

A large tree found in evergreen forest, riverine forest and woodland. Commonly associated with Podocarpus and<br />

Juniperus. In Uganda it grows in colonizing forests, thickets, forest edges and mixed forest from lowland to lower<br />

montane areas.<br />

BIOPHYSICAL LIMITS<br />

Altitude: 900-2 600 m<br />

Mean annual rainfall: 1 200-2 500 mm<br />

Mean annual temperature: 18-26 deg.C<br />

DOCUMENTED SPECIES DISTRIBUTION<br />

Native:<br />

Exotic:<br />

Ethiopia, Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda<br />

Native range<br />

Exotic range<br />

The map above shows countries where the species has been planted. It does neither<br />

suggest that the species can be planted in every ecological zone within that country,<br />

nor that the species can not be planted in other countries than those depicted. Since<br />

some tree species are invasive, you need to follow biosafety procedures that apply to<br />

your planting site.<br />

<strong>Agroforestry</strong> Database 4.0 (Orwa et al.2009)<br />

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<strong>Teclea</strong> <strong>nobilis</strong><br />

PRODUCTS<br />

Food: The fruit is edible.<br />

The map above shows countries where the species has been planted. It does neither<br />

suggest that the species can be planted in every ecological zone within that country,<br />

nor that the species can not be planted in other countries than those depicted. Since<br />

<strong>Del</strong>.<br />

some tree species are invasive, you need to follow biosafety procedures that apply to<br />

your planting site.<br />

Apiculture: The fragrant flowers are a source of nectar and pollen for bees.<br />

Fuel: Provides good fuelwood.<br />

<strong>Rutaceae</strong><br />

Timber: The wood is used to make bows, tool handles, barkcloth mallets, clubs and walking sticks. Poles obtained from<br />

the tree are used for house construction. The wood is tough, strong, durable predisposing it to overexploitation in its<br />

native range.<br />

Essential oil:<br />

Medicine: The leaf or root decoction mixed with honey is used against pneumonia in Kenya. The roots are used as an<br />

anthelminthic. The steam inhalation of the leaves reportedly cures fever.<br />

SERVICES<br />

Shade or shelter: This tree provides excellent shade.<br />

Soil improver: The leaf litter enriches underlying soil.<br />

Boundary or barrier or support: Poles obtained from the tree are used for fencing and construction.<br />

<strong>Agroforestry</strong> Database 4.0 (Orwa et al.2009)<br />

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<strong>Teclea</strong> <strong>nobilis</strong><br />

TREE MANAGEMENT<br />

A moderate to slow growing tree. Can be managed by coppicing and pollarding.<br />

<strong>Del</strong>.<br />

<strong>Rutaceae</strong><br />

GERMPLASM MANAGEMENT<br />

T. <strong>nobilis</strong> is not a prolific seeder, has about 20 000 seeds/kg. Germination rates and seed viability are low.<br />

<strong>Agroforestry</strong> Database 4.0 (Orwa et al.2009)<br />

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<strong>Teclea</strong> <strong>nobilis</strong><br />

<strong>Del</strong>.<br />

<strong>Rutaceae</strong><br />

FURTHER READNG<br />

Chapman CA and Chapman LJ. 1995. Survival without dispersers: seedling recruitment under parents. Conservation<br />

Biology. 9(3): 675-678.<br />

Katende AB et al. 1995. Useful trees and shrubs for Uganda. Identification, Propagation and Management for<br />

Agricultural and Pastoral Communities. Regional Soil Conservation Unit (RSCU), Swedish International Development<br />

Authority (SIDA).<br />

Kokwaro JO. 1976. Medicinal plants of East Africa. East African Literature Bureau.<br />

Kokwaro JO. 1982. <strong>Rutaceae</strong>. In: Flora of Tropical East Africa. AA Balkema, Rotterdam.<br />

SUGGESTED CITATION<br />

Orwa C, A Mutua, Kindt R , Jamnadass R, S Anthony. 2009 Agroforestree Database:a tree reference and selection guide<br />

version 4.0 (http://www.worldagroforestry.org/sites/treedbs/treedatabases.asp)<br />

<strong>Agroforestry</strong> Database 4.0 (Orwa et al.2009)<br />

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