Cassipourea malosana is an evergreen shrub or tree, growing to 25 or 30 meters in height, and occasionally up to 45 meters, with a rounded crown. The tree has a straight unbuttressed trunk which can be up to 60 cm in diameter and unbranched up to 20 meters from the ground. The bark is smooth and pale.[1] The leaves are lanceolate, 3 to 10 mm long and 1 to 5 mm wide, with a glossy upper surface and a matte underside.[2]
Cassipourea malosana is found in dry Afromontane forests, often with African juniper (Juniperus procera), Afrocarpus spp., Podocarpus spp., and Olea spp.,[1] and as an under-canopy tree in moist Afromontane forests. It is generally found between 1700 and 2600 meters elevation, and occasionally as low as 1100 meters.[3]
Uses
The tree has fine and even-textured wood, and produces hard and heavy timber. It is exploited artisanally and commercially in East Africa, and is usually harvested from the wild. It is also used for firewood.[1]
The tree is occasionally grown as a shade or ornamental tree, and is planted in reforestation projects and for erosion control. Its flowers are a good source of nectar for bees.[1]
The bark has some local medicinal uses. It is cooked in soups to restore strength, made into a tea to help remove a placenta after birth, and applied to skin to treat skin ailments and sunburn and to lighten skin.[1]
