Hardwickia binata

Hardwickia binata is a medium-sized and deciduous tree growing up to 20 m high.

The bark of Hardwickia binata is grey brownish-coloured, rough, longitudinally fissured and transversally cracked.

The leaves of Hardwickia binata grow alternately on the stem (spirally arranged).
The leaf is compound, bifoliate with a 1.5-2 cm petiole.
The leaflets are coriaceous and glabrous on both sides (some minute hairs on the margins and on the midrib beneath).
The leaflets are sessile.
The leaflet of Hardwickia binata is 4-7 cm long and 2.5-4 cm wide. The shape of the blade is ovate-elliptic, the apex is obtuse, the base is obliquely rounded and the margins are entire.
The venation of the leaflets is reticulate.

The fruit of Hardwickia binata is a samaroid pod. It is flattened, winged, 7-8 cm long and 1.5-1.7 cm wide and brown-coloured. Each pod contains 1 seed.

The seeds of Hardwickia binata are ovate, light brown-coloured and 1.5-2 cm long and 0.7-1 cm wide. There is only one seed per pod.

The twigs of Hardwickia binata are used as fodder.

The wood of Hardwickia binata is very hard and closed grained. It is used for beams and mine props, bridge and house construction, agricultural implements...

The bark yields a strong fibre employed for making ropes.

Source : Orwa C., Mutua A., Kindt R., Jamnadass R., Anthony S., 2009, Agroforestree Database: a tree reference and selection guide