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Two-year-old trees in provenance trial in Malava, Kenya. |
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Markhamia lutea line planting with beans at Kifu |
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Amenity use: M. lutea at the ICRAF Hq compound (Kenya). Note the very showy flowers. |
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Amenity use: M. lutea in an office compound (Kenya), 12 years old and 8 m high. Note the very dense shade produced. |
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Agroforestry use: M. lutea in an agroforestry system in Muguga (Kenya), 1 year old and 3 m high. Note the dense shade and profuse coppicing. |
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Agroforestry use: M. lutea in an agroforestry system, 5 years old and 6 m high. Note the low crop production and profuse coppicing (Bondo, Kenya). |
Local names:
Amharic (botoro), English (markhamia), Luganda (nsambya,lusambya), Somali (sogdu), Swahili (mtalawanda,mgambo), Trade name (markhamia)
Markhamia lutea is an upright evergreen tree 10-15 m high, with a narrow, irregular crown and long taproot. Bark light brown with fine vertical fissures. Leaves compound, often in bunches, thin and wavy, each leaflet up to 10 cm, wider at the tip, often with round outgrowths at the base. Flower buds yellow-green and furry, splitting down 1 side as flower emerges. Flowers bright yellow, in showy terminal clusters, each trumpet shaped, to 6 cm long, with 5 frilly lobes, the throat striped with orange-red. Fruit very long, thin, brown capsules, to 75 cm in length, hanging in clusters and tending to spiral, splitting on the tree to release abundant seed with transparent wings, 2.5 cm long and yellow-whitish when mature. The genus was named after Sir Clement Markham, who introduced the famous quinine-yielding cinchona into India. The specific name, ‘lutea’, is Latin for golden-yellow.
Ecology
M. lutea is common in the lake basins and highland areas of eastern Africa. The tree is drought resistant but cannot withstand waterlogging.
Native range
Ethiopia, Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda
Tree management
M. lutea grows fast in good forest soil, and plants can attain growth rates of more than 2 m/year. They should be planted in a deep hole, as the roots are long. Trees can be pruned and pollarded to reduce shading and are coppiced when they are about 1.7 m in height. Pods should be collected from the trees after they turn grey.
Seed storage behaviour is orthodox, but seeds are better sown fresh. After extraction, seeds can be dried in the sun to 5-10% mc. Mature and properly dried seeds can be stored in hermetic storage at 3 deg. C for several years with no loss in viability. On average, there are about 75 000 seeds/kg.
M. lutea is common in the lake basins and highland areas of eastern Africa. The tree is drought resistant but cannot withstand waterlogging.
Natural regeneration is mainly by seed. Pretreatment is not necessary, and under ideal conditions, seeds germinate within 20-30 days, with an expected rate of 30-60%. Trees may also be propagated by seedling or wildings.
Erosion control: Recommended for use in soil-conservation.
Apiculture: M. lutea provides good bee forage.
Trees are a source of firewood and produce good charcoal. Fuelwood is used to cure tobacco in western Kenya.
Timber: The wood, which is fairly resistant to termites, is used for furniture, poles, posts, tool handles and boat building.
Shade or shelter: The species provides useful shade and acts as a windbreak.
Medicine: Leaves are known to have medicinal value.
Ornamental: Attractive and worth planting as a screen or background tree for gardens and on golf courses.
M. lutea poles can be used as props to support banana trees.
Soil improver: It provides mulch, which enhances soil-moisture retention and increases organic matter.