About Terminalia leiocarpa (DC.) Baill.
Scientific Classification and Nomenclature
Terminalia leiocarpa (DC.) Baill., commonly called African birch and known as ngálǎma in Bambara, is a tree species belonging to the genus Terminalia.
Native Range
It is a deciduous tree native to tropical Africa, ranging from Senegal and Guinea in the west to Eritrea in the east, and reaching as far south as the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
Germination Conditions
This species germinates in the new soils formed by seasonal wetlands.
Habitat Preferences
It grows as a forest fringe plant, found along the edges of rainforests rather than deep within the rainforest.
Additional Habitats
It also grows in savanna habitats and along riverbanks, where it forms gallery forests.
Flowering Period
The tree flowers during the rainy season, which runs from June to October.
Fruit and Dispersal
It produces winged fruits called samaras, which are dispersed by ants.
