Hagenia abyssinica Rosaceae
Indigenous
Ag: Gora‑gora, Shinchi Am: Kosso Or: Hucha, Heto
Ecology A tree confined to Africa, from Ethiopia In large attractive masses to 60 cm, female to Malawi. It is found in upland rainforest heads pink‑red, male heads more feathery, at even higher altitudes than bamboo and orange‑white. The sexes are on different may be the last tree before moorland; trees. FRUIT: Small and dry, one-sided. naturally often the dominant tree of the woodland zone just above the mountain Propagation bamboo. Occasionally found also at lower Seedlings, wildings. altitudes. Formerly one of the commonest Seed high-altitude rain forest trees in Ethiopia. The fruit should be collected just after they Now usually only scattered trees remain have turned brown. Later than that the fruit in Moist and Wet Weyna Dega and Dega will remain on the tree but is attacked by agroclimatic zones. Spread in nearly all insects. After collection, dry the fruit in the regions, 2,300–3,300 m. sun but protect from wind. Germination Uses 40–60 % in 14–21 days. 200,000–500,000 Firewood, timber (furniture, flooring), seed per kg. carvings, poles, medicine (bark, roots), Treatment: Not necessary. ornamental, mulch, green manure, soil Storage: Seed stores for 6–12 months. conservation, firebreak. Management Description A tree to 20 m with a short trunk and thick branches, the crown leafy and Remarks rounded. BARK: Red‑brown, thick, flaking The wood is dark red, hard and used irregularly, branchlets covered in silky for furniture but attacked by borers. brown hairs and ringed with leaf scars. Used locally for its medicinal qualities, LEAVES: Compound to 40 cm in large kosso from the female flowers is used terminal tufts, 5–8 leaflets on each side, as a dewormer. Not competitive against leaflets bright green above, covered with crops if managed to prevent shading. It is silvery hairs below, red and sticky when recommended for homesteads because of young, leaf edge toothed and fringed with its good timber. It constantly sheds leaves hairs, stalk winged and hairy. FLOWERS: forming a carpet of dried leaves.
298 | Useful Trees and Shrubs of Ethiopia The Species | 299