The tree is tall and straight, growing up to 40m in height with a diameter of up to 1m. The flower has white petals and, as other legumes do, the tree produces pods.
Concern is expressed due to the tree's rarity in some areas of its native tropical habitat in Gabon and Cameroon, typically less than one tree per square kilometre. It is listed on The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species as vulnerable.
Zebrano wood gets its name to its characteristics stripes pattern reminiscent of the stripes of a zebra. The wood is pale yellow to almost white with dark streaks, and it takes a nice polish. The wood is valued by some for its striped figure and is used in furniture. The wood is very tough and durable, and it can be used for objects such as tool handles and sporting equipment. It is resistant to termites and wood-rotting fungi.
Except for use in construction, this type of wood is also used by wood turners to make the most beautiful shapes and figures. The most common application is the use of veneer. Quartered cut veneer is very common. The wood is imported from central Africa, (Gabon, Cameroon, and Congo).
It is a heavy, hardwood with a somewhat coarse texture, often with an interlocked or wavy grain which can make it difficult to work. It is also a decorative exotic wood, used in custom furniture, furniture trim, inlay bandings, marquetry, specialty items and turnery. It is also sometimes seen in exotic guitars. In the past, it was used in Cadillac and Mercedes-Benz automobiles.
These pens are made from blanks purchased at a Sydney Wood Show.
