INDIGENOUS KNOWLEDGE OF TREES FOUND IN THE BUNSO ARBORETUM FOREST RESERVE

A GUIDE TO TREES

 BUNSO ARBORETUM FOREST RESERVE

  

BY

BENJAMIN SAKYI

CSIR-PLANT GENETIC RESOURCES RESEARCH INSTITUTE

 

A GUIDE TO TREES

 BUNSO ARBORETUM FOREST RESERVE

 All Rights Reserved

 

CONTACT INFORMATION

MR BENJAMIN SAKYI

CSIR-PLANT GENETIC RESOURCES RESEARCH INSTITUTE

P.O. BOX 7, BUNSO, E/R

TEL:+233 (0) 247 997 744 /+233 (0) 232 915 925

E-MAIL: ghanaecotours@gmail.com

WEBSITE: www.ghanaecotours.getafricaonline.com

INTRODUCTION

The Bunso Arboretum is one of Ghana’s most beautiful forest reserves. It is also one of the least known forest resources in the country that contains both in-situ and ex-situ plant species. The arboretum is a protected tropical reserve spanning an area of 16.5 hectares approximately 40 acres of land.

Half of the area is a semi-deciduous and in-situ while the other half is made up of ex-situ species introduced into Ghana by the Plant Genetic Resources Research Institute.

The arboretum is home to many plant species including fruit trees, medicinal plants, timber and non-timber, shrubs, climbers and herbs. Several species of birds, insects, reptiles and mammals also inhabit the arboretum.

In the late 1999’s, the arboretum started gaining some attention and was developed into an ecotourism site through the support of the Ghana Tourism Authority, Nature Conservation Research Centre, CSIR-Plant Genetic Resources Research Institute and the United States Agency for International Development. www.ghanaecotours.getafricaonline.com The ecotourism site was opened officially to tourists and other users on the 5^th March, 2003.

The arboretum is located in the Eastern Region of Ghana in the East-Akyem Municipality and lies on latitude 06° 15’ North and longitude 00° 27’ West.

Below is a table of some of Ghana’s valuable but over–exploited timber species that can be found at the Bunso Arboretum Forest Reserve. The table also includes the scientific, local and family names as well as the uses of the trees.

SCIENTIFIC, FAMILY, LOCAL NAMES & USES OF SOME TROPICAL TREES IN THE BUNSO ARBORETUM

SCIENTIFIC NAME	FAMILY NAME	LOCAL NAME	USES
Nauclea diderichii	Rubiaceace	Kusia	Timber used for railway sleepers, furniture, flooring and harbor works
Monodora myristica	Annonaceace	Wedieba	Spicy tree with aromatic seeds used in herbal medicines and in traditional soup.
Sterculia tragacantha	Sterculiaceace	Sofo	Leaves are used for making kenkey (Sofo Dokono). The bark and leaf ash in water forms potash for making soap. The bark again is said to be used for making gun powder.
Sterculia rhinopetala	Sterculiaceace	Wawabima	Timber tree used for joinery and furniture works, in farms edible mushrooms are usually collected from the dead wood.
Cola gigantea	Sterculiaceace	Wtaapuo	The tree is of less timber value. The young tap-root is said to be chewed as an aphrodisiac.
Triplochiton scleroxylon	Sterculiaceace	Wawa	Valuable timber tree, the sawn boards are used for interior joinery, coffins, tables, chalkboards, furniture shelves and canoe carvings. Dead stumps in farms produce edible mushrooms. (Sasie-Twi)
Nesogordonia papaverifera	Sterculiaceace	Danta	Important timber tree used in building railway carriages, gun butts, mortar and tool handles.
SCIENTIFIC NAME	FAMILY NAME	LOCAL NAME	USES
Antiaris toxicaria (Bark cloth tree)	Moraceae	Kyenkyen	Popular timber tree that was preferably used in the olden days for making blankets and clothes by beating the bark of the tree after swallow collection of the bark to produce elastic raw material for manufacturing clothes. The wood can also be used for building canoe.
Milicia excelsa	Moraceae	Odum	Export and important timber tree locally used for furniture, doors and door frames, tables and flooring. It is also a semi deciduous timber that could also be used for railway sleepers. It is grown by seed.
Trilepizium madagascariensis (Bosgeia angolensis)	Moraceae	Okure	The bark is chewed as medicine for cure of chest troubles. The fruits of the tree are eaten by birds and bats; hence the tree promotes bird and bats watching
Entadrophragma angolense	Meliaceae	Edinam	Export timber used for furniture, interior decoration, shop fittings, wooden offices, veneer and plywood.
Entadrophragma candollei	Meliaceae	Penkwa – Akoa	A lesser used timber among the Entadrophragma species because of its medicinal property.
Entadrophragma cylindricum	Meliaceae	Penkwa / Cedar	An export timber used for furniture, piano cases, paneling and interior decoration.
Tieghemella heckelli	Meliaceae	Baku	An export timber used for furniture, cabinet work, veneer and underground railway sleepers, edible oil can be extracted from the fruits.
SCIENTIFIC NAME	FAMILY NAME	LOCAL NAME	USES
Carapa procera	Meliaceae	Krabese	Decoction of the bark cures chest troubles; biter oil is extracted from the seeds for making soap.
Celtis zenkeri	Ulmaceae	Esakokoo	The tree is mainly used as firewood. It is now gaining popularity on the timber market due to the over – exploitation of the first class timber species such as Milcia excelsa.
Celtis mildbraedii	Ulmaceae	Esa	The tree is mainly used as pestles for pounding fufu and firewood. It is also now gaining popularity on the timber market due to the over – exploitation of the first class timber species such as ‘’Odum’’.
Terminalia ivorensis	Combretaceae	Emire	The timber is good for roofing, coffins, general carpentry and building of lorry frames.
Terminalia superba	Combretaceae	Ofram	The timber is good for coffins and general carpentry works.
Ricinodendron heudelotii	Euphorbiaceae	Nwama	Light yellow edible oil is extracted from the seeds. The fruits are favourates of snails and many snails are collected under or near the tree when the season of collecting snails come hence the local name ‘’Nwa-ma’’ meaning promotes the collection of snails. The bark of the tree has many medicinal uses locally.
Margaritaria discoidea	Euphorbiaceae	Pepea	The tree is noted for its good use as firewood. The hard dense pinkish wood is said to be used for roofing tree houses. The fruits are edible. The roots are said be applied for the cure of diarrhea.
SCIENTIFIC NAME	FAMILY NAME	LOCAL NAME	USES
Piptadeniastrum africanum	Mimosaceae	Dahoma	Export timber used for railway sleepers, furniture, flooring, harbor works and roofing of buildings. The root buttresses in the past were used by our ancestors for communicating and hide out against wild animals attack during hunting in the forest
Abizia zygia	Mimosaceae	Okoro	Noted for its use as firewood and for house posts and planks. Leaf decoction is said to be good for bathing to cure stiffness and feverish pains
Abizia ferruginea	Mimosaceae	Awiemfosamina	A good timber for roofing, interior and exterior works, the leaves in the olden days were used for washing, hence the local name ‘’Awiemfosamina’’ meaning poor man’s soap.
Parkia bicolor	Mimosaceae	Asoma	The fruit pulp of the tree is edible. It is a favourates food for monkeys. The dried pulverized bark is said to be applied on wounds to enhance early healing
Guarea cedrata	Meliaceae	Kwabohoro	Notable among the export timber species in Ghana for furniture, boat and carriage building. The bark could be grinded with small quantity of ginger and can be used in the form of enema for cure of severe waist pains.
Khaya ivorensis	Meliaceae	Dubini	Export timber used in making furniture, interior joinery, ships cabinet, plywood and veneering. The bitter bark of the tree is used in bitters for cure of rheumatism and stomach troubles.
SCIENTIFIC NAME	FAMILY NAME	LOCAL NAME	USES
Picralima nitida	Apocynaceae	Kawnene	The fine-grained, hard and elastic yellow wood is used for walking sticks, weaver’s shuttles, wooden combs and carpenters tools. The bitter seeds several decades ago were used by women in weaning children and for cure of anemia, stomach troubles and piles. The roots are also taken against sexual weakness.
Rauvolfia vomitoria	Apocynaceae	Kakapenpen	Roots are used for many medicinal purposes. The plant is said to contain sedative properties. Birds enjoy the fruits and as such serves as hunting grounds for birds by children.
Distermonanthus bethamianus(Devil’s tree)	Caesalpiniaceae	Bonsamdua	Export timber for furniture, interior decoration, cabinet works and ship fittings
Ceiba pentandra	Bombacaceae	Onyina	The tree is notable for making plywood but now gaining attention on the timber market because over exploitation of some timber species like Dahoma. The dead wood grows edible mushrooms (Dombo).
Morinda lucida	Rubiaceae	Konkroma	A non deciduous native plant medicinally used for the treatment of rheumatism, fever and menstrual disorders. Little is known about the tree for its use as timber.
Antrocaryon micraster	Anacardiaceae	Aprokuma	Fruits are said to be edible and sometimes good for fermented beverages. The tree was in the past used to provide bumper killing of yellow back Duikers (Okwaduo). Hence the local proverb “Aprokoma egu enyirene na ekum Akwaduo…’’
Petersianthus macrocarpus	Combretaceae	Asia	The bark and leaves are used for treating waist trouble. The tree is now gaining attention for its use as timber.
SCIENTIFIC NAME	FAMILY NAME	LOCAL NAME	USES
Holoptelia grandis	Ulmaceae	Nakwa	Popular firewood. Traditional healers or herbalist use the bark to heal or cure stomach troubles. The tree is said to be native to West Africa.
Garcinia kola	Guttifereae	Twiapea	Popular chewing stick, the root is taken in the form of local bitters as an aphrodisiac
Guibourtia ehia	Caesalpiniaceae	Anokye- Hyedua	Export timber that could be used for furniture and plywood. In the past, the gum of the tree was used by the great Okomfo Anokye of the Ashanti kingdom hence, the local name Anokye – Hyedua
Hymenostegia afzelii	Caesalpiniaceae	Tarkorawa	Good for firewood, railway sleepers and general construction works
Kigelia africana	Bignoniaceae	Nufutene	Medicinal plant of several uses, the fruits are cut into pieces and boiled for eating.
Napoloenae vogelii	Lecythidaceae	Obua	The fruits of the tree are edible. The stem is good for making a cooking tool called (Etapoli) used for grinding pepper. The forked stems are used for the construction of the structure used in drying cocoa
Hannoa klaineana	Simaroubaceae	Footie	The light, soft and white wood is used for planks, doors and ceilings. The fruits are favourates of many large birds.
Pseudospondias microcarpa	Anacardiaceae	Akatawani	A superstitious tree said to be narcotic to those who sit or sleep under it. Hence the local name ‘’Akwatawani’’ meaning close your eyes. The seeds are said to be applied by girls in dieing.
SCIENTIFIC NAME	FAMILY NAME	LOCAL NAME	USES
Ompalocarpum ahia	Sapotaceae	Duampompo	A tree of cultural value, the seeds are used by the Nzima’s an ethnic group in Ghana for the celebration of the kundum festival. The bark of the tree is used for the treatment of anemia.
Baphia nitida	Papilionaceae	Odwen	The tree is used for making tool handle (Soduro). The heartwood and the leaves are also used medicinally.
Dialium aubrevillei	Caesalpiniaceae	Duabankye	A tree of wet evergreen properties and could maintain its leaves throughout the year.  Little is known for its use as timber.
Baphia puberscens	Papilionaceae	Odwenkobire	Young trees are used for pounding fufu by people living in the coast