Tree Bees Use

TREES BEES USE Parkia Biglobosa

Samuel Adelani Babarinde, Gabriel Olulakin Adesina, Mathew Oladejo Akanbi and Julius Ipadeola Olaifa Department of Agronomy, Ladoke Akintola University of Technology, PMB 4000, Ogbomoso, Nigeria

Keywords: Africa, bee forage, honey production, Nigeria, pollen

Main photo: Parkia biglobosa; insets: Flowers of Parkia biglobosa

PHOTOS © S A BABARINDE

Apicultural value

Between 1100-1800 hours Parkia biglobosa is a good source of pollen for bees.

Agricultural value

The soil beneath Parkia biglobosa is improved by leaf fall. An aqueous extract of its fruit pods is used as a crop spray to deter insect pests.

Names

English African locust bean, Monkey cutlass tree

French Arbe a farine, Nerre

Hausa (northern Nigeria) Dadawa

Yoruba (south-west Nigeria) Igi iru, Igi igba

Family

Leguminoseae

Origin

Parkia biglobosa is indigenous to Africa.

Description

Parkia biglobosa is a tall deciduous tree growing 10-20 m high. It has an umbrella shaped spreading crown, with drooping, but spineless dark green leaves. The leaves are alternate, bi-pinnate and 20-40 cm long, with 8-30 pairs of alternate pinnate and 14-65 pairs of leaflets per pinnate. The bark is grey with a scaly texture in mature trees (up to 200 years old)

Flowering

December to May

Flower

The inflorescence is a pendant raceme of red, pink or orange balls set at the end of a branch with a peduncle up to 40 cm long. Each ball is 5 cm in diameter and composed of about 1,700 flowers.

Social-economic uses

The fruits are eaten by humans and the seeds are fermented and used in cooking and medicine. The wood provides timber but is highly susceptible to fungi and xylophagous pests. Exudates can be used to produce good quality dyes.

For other species that have featured in Trees Bees Use see www.beesfordevelopment.org/portal