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Letestua durissima - (A.Chev.) Lecomte

Common Name Kong-Afane, Congotali
Family Sapotaceae
USDA hardiness 10-12
Known Hazards The sawdust can have an irritant effect[299 ].
Habitats Primary rainforest[299 ].
Range West tropical Africa - Gabon, Congo.
Edibility Rating    (0 of 5)
Other Uses    (4 of 5)
Weed Potential No
Medicinal Rating    (2 of 5)
Care (info)
Tender Moist Soil Full sun
Letestua durissima Kong-Afane, Congotali


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Letestua durissima Kong-Afane, Congotali
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Summary

Letestua durissima is native to Gabon and Congo Republic. It is the only recognized species in the Letestua genus of the Sapotaceae family. It is a tree growing up to 50 m tall with straight and cylindrical trunk of up to 240 cm in diameter. The trunk can be branchless for up to 40 m and its base can be buttressed. While there is no known edible part of this plant, decoction of its bark is used in the treatment of leprosy. The plant is highly valued for its very hard, very durable, and strong wood ideal for heavy construction, flooring, boat building, agricultural implements, poles, etc.


Physical Characteristics

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Letestua durissima is an evergreen Tree growing to 40 m (131ft) by 30 m (98ft) at a fast rate.
See above for USDA hardiness. It is hardy to UK zone 10.
Suitable for: light (sandy), medium (loamy) and heavy (clay) soils and prefers well-drained soil. Suitable pH: mildly acid and neutral soils. It cannot grow in the shade. It prefers moist soil.

UK Hardiness Map US Hardiness Map

Synonyms

Letestua floribunda Lecomte Pierreodendron durissimum A.Chev.

Plant Habitats

Edible Uses

None known

References   More on Edible Uses

Medicinal Uses

Plants For A Future can not take any responsibility for any adverse effects from the use of plants. Always seek advice from a professional before using a plant medicinally.
Leprosy

A bark decoction is a component of a traditional medicine against leprosy[299 ].

References   More on Medicinal Uses

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Other Uses

Wood

Other Uses The heartwood is fairly dark red-brown, turning chestnut brown with age; it is distinctly demarcated from the 5 - 9cm wide band of pale brown sapwood. The grain is usually straight, but sometimes interlocked; the texture fine to medium. The wood is very heavy; very hard; strong; resilient; stiff; very durable, it is rarely attacked by termites, but must be treated to prevent marine borer attack; the sapwood is not susceptible to Lyctus borers. Shrinkage rates are high; drying is slow, with high risks of distortion and checking; the dried wood is fairly stable. The wood is slow and difficult to saw due to the high silica content, which leads to severe blunting, and an irritating dust is produced; it should be sawn as fresh as possible and stellite-tipped sawteeth are recommended; planing is relatively easy and gives a smooth surface; pre-boring for nailing and screwing is recommended to avoid splitting, but the wood holds nails well; it glues well, when done carefully. The wood is considered suitable for heavy construction and flooring, mine props, ship and boat building, vehicle bodies, sporting goods, agricultural implements, musical instruments, precision equipment, joinery, sleepers, poles and piles, toys and novelties, and pattern making. The low saturation point makes the wood suitable for use in humid conditions such as mine work[299 , 848 ]..

Special Uses

References   More on Other Uses

Cultivation details

Not Known

References   Carbon Farming Information and Carbon Sequestration Information

Temperature Converter

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The PFAF Bookshop

Plants For A Future have a number of books available in paperback and digital form. Book titles include Edible Plants, Edible Perennials, Edible Trees,Edible Shrubs, Woodland Gardening, and Temperate Food Forest Plants. Our new book is Food Forest Plants For Hotter Conditions (Tropical and Sub-Tropical).

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Plant Propagation

Seed - should be sown fresh, when the germination rate will often be virtually 100% within 7 - 30 days[299 ].

Other Names

If available other names are mentioned here

Kong-Afane (Gabon); Congotali (Congo)

Native Range

Coming Soon

Weed Potential

Right plant wrong place. We are currently updating this section. Please note that a plant may be invasive in one area but may not in your area so it’s worth checking.

Conservation Status

IUCN Red List of Threatened Plants Status : This taxon has not yet been assessed

Related Plants
Latin NameCommon NameHabitHeightHardinessGrowthSoilShadeMoistureEdibleMedicinalOther

Growth: S = slow M = medium F = fast. Soil: L = light (sandy) M = medium H = heavy (clay). pH: A = acid N = neutral B = basic (alkaline). Shade: F = full shade S = semi-shade N = no shade. Moisture: D = dry M = Moist We = wet Wa = water.

 

Expert comment

Author

(A.Chev.) Lecomte

Botanical References

Links / References

For a list of references used on this page please go here
A special thanks to Ken Fern for some of the information used on this page.

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Subject : Letestua durissima  
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