Azobé

The “ironwood” of Río Muni’s forests – its timber is so heavy and hard that it sinks in water and resists termites.

A large tree of the humid forests of West and Central Africa, growing to 50 m, with a reddish, deeply fissured trunk. Its young leaves are bright red, and after flowering it produces fruits with two long wings that are carried by the wind. Azobé wood is among the hardest and heaviest in the world: it resists fungi, termites and shipworms, so it is used for quays, locks, bridges and railway sleepers.

Significance in the country

Azobé is one of the most distinctive giants of Río Muni’s forests, easy to recognise by its red shoots; impressive old trees survive in Monte Alén National Park.

Where it grows

The equatorial forests of mainland Río Muni, especially in the coastal zone and in Monte Alén National Park.

More: Wikipedia (en)