Pterocarpus soyauxii, the African padauk or African coralwood, is a species of Pterocarpus in the family Fabaceae, native to central and tropical west Africa, from Nigeria east to Congo-Kinshasa and south to Angola.[1]
It is a tree growing to 27–34 m tall, with a trunk diameter up to 1 m with flaky reddish-grey bark. The leaves are pinnate, with 11–13 leaflets. The flowers are produced in panicles. The fruit is a thorny pod 6–9 cm long, which does not split open at maturity.[2]
The leaves are edible, and contain large amounts of vitamin C; they are eaten as a leaf vegetable.[2]
Bark extracts are used in herbal medicine to treat skin parasites and fungal infections.[2]
The wood is valuable; it is very durable, red at first, becoming purplish-brown on exposure to light, with a density of 0.79 g/cm3.[3] It is resistant to termites.[2] It is valued for making drums in Africa due to its tonal resonance.[2] The wood is also favored for its use in stringed instruments (namely acoustic and electric guitars) for its tonal attributes and durability.[4]
Dust from the wood produced during wood processing can cause dermatitis in some people.[5]
Native African names include Kisese (Congo), Mbel (Cameroon), Mukula, N'gula (Zaire), and Tacula (Angola).[3]