Afrocarpus mannii       18547

It is a tree to 15m tall but krummholz in the summit area, with a broad crown. The bark is undescribed. The twigs are ridged, more or less quadrangular.

The foliage is sparse. The juvenile leaves are spirally arranged, linear-lanceolate, up to 16cm long x 4-8mm, finely pointed. The adult leaves are also spirally arranged, lanceolate, 3-8cm x 3-7mm, with a conspicuous midrib on the lower side and an obscure midrib on the upper side. The apex is acute to obtuse.

The pollen cones are solitary, catkin-like, 10-20mm x2-3mm, microsporophylls are broadly triangular, 1mm across, each with two pollen sacs.

The seed cones are on small scaly twigs axillary to foliage leaves, with a 20-30mm long fleshy pear-shaped epimatium enclosing a single obovoid seed 16-25mm long with a 4-5mm thick, hard seed coat.

This species is used for construction timber, although rarely, as trees of suitable size have become scarce. It has been planted as a canopy tree, windbreak, or for other purposes in rural areas of Cameroon, Ivory Coast and probably elsewhere in West Africa.

References
- A handbook of the world's conifers 1+2, Aljos Farjon. 2010 pag. 141. ISBN
- The Gymnosperm Database. Afrocarpus mannii
- Useful Tropical Plants. Afrocarpus mannii

- A handbook of the world's conifers 1+2, Aljos Farjon. 2010 pag. 136-138. ISBN
- Flora of Southern Africa, L.E. Codd, B. De Winter And H.B. Rycroft. Vol. 1 pag. 34-41. Address

Biological type: tree
Frost resistance: 5ºF
Leaf color: dark green
IUCN Red List of threatened species status: Vulnerable

Specifications for the Mediterranean basin
Adult size (h x w): 32,8ft x 19,6ft
Sun exposure: full sun (Sun hours: >6h
Foliage: evergreen
Growth: average

Specific information for our garden
Planting substrate: 40%Compost+60%Sand
Plant watering: Sensor pH 6.5 Humid
Logical sequence of containers for: Eucalyptus; forestry plate, forestry pot 3L, Airpot 12L, Airpot 50L, Airpot 800L
Propagation is done by cuttings

Ecology in its country of origin
Rainfall: 1800-2400mm

SPRING Clean to pure seeds. Scarify the seed coating. Sow the seeds at 2mm depth in the Well Drained Seed Sowing Mix between 64-72°F. During germination keep the substrate moist and in daylight. The seeds germinate in 4-26 weeks.