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Milicia excelsa (Welw.) C.C.Berg [Syn: Chlorophora excelsa Welw.] MORACEAE.

milicia

Names: Iroko (Standard name); Mvule (trade name, Swahili); Mururi (Meru)

Description: Tree to 30(50)m with straight bole; buttresses small or absent; bark pale grey to nearly black. Leaves in young trees sandpapery above and pubescent beneath, serrulate at the margin and up to 25 by 12cm; in mature trees elliptic or ovate, base subcordate, apex shortly acuminate, 9-11 by 5-7.5cm, glabrous above, densely puberulous beneath.Flowers dioecious and axillary. Male spikes pendulous, to 15cm long, slender; female spikes erect, to 7cm long, stout. Fruiting head green, mulberry-like, up to 6 by 2cm.

Occurence: Moist forest (relicts) and wooded grassland. Coastal, Central and Nyanza Provinces. Now heavily over exploited.

Use: The dark handsome heartwood was prized for fine furniture.

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