About Khaya anthotheca (Welw.) C.DC.
Khaya anthotheca (Welw.) C.DC. trees grow to between 30 and 60 metres (100 to 200 feet) tall. They have greyish-brown bark. On mature individuals, white scented flowers grow at the ends of branches. The tallest recorded tree in Zimbabwe, known as the "Big Tree in Chirinda Forest", is a Khaya anthotheca located in the Chirinda Forest Botanical Reserve. In 1990, this tree was measured at 58.5 metres (192 ft) tall; a more recent, unverified report puts its height at 65 m. This species is widespread across its natural range, which extends from Guinea Bissau east to Uganda and Tanzania, and south to Angola, Zambia, Zimbabwe and Mozambique. It is fairly widely grown in plantations across its natural distribution area, and is also grown in plantations in South Africa, tropical Asia and tropical America. In the northern part of its natural range, it can be easily confused with other Khaya species including K. grandifoliola, K. senegalensis and K. ivorensis. Also known as East African mahogany, this species grows in evergreen forests at medium to low altitudes, and requires damp ground to grow. In Uganda's Budongo Forest, chimpanzees have been observed eating the bark and resin of Khaya anthotheca. The bark consumed is low in nutritional value, and the observed chimpanzees were all suffering from various health issues including wounds, leukocyte levels indicating infection, long-lasting coughs, or high parasite loads, leading to the presumption that chimpanzees consume this plant material to aid recovery. Laboratory tests have shown that Khaya anthotheca inhibits the growth of two bacteria species: Enterococcus faecium and Escherichia coli.
