Spirostachys africana, known regionally as Tamboti and is also known as Sandalwood
Tamboti Bark
Herbarium Sample
Wood sample
Tree
A medium sized tree with rounded crown, usually about 20 m in height, but occasionally reaching 15m. Occurring at low altitude bush.
Source - Tress of Southern Africa - Keith Coates Palgrave and Meg Coates Palgrave
Timber
The heartwood is light and dark chocolate brown. At 1010kg's/m3 the wood is hard, heavy, durable, close-grained and resistant to termites. It sandpapers well and takes oils and varnish well finishing with a satin like lustre. When freshly worked it has a distinctive, sweetish smell. The wood is almost indestructible. Samples taken from Great Zimbabwe, carbon dated to be between 1240 and 1530 years old, were found to be well preserved. It is used in musical instruments, turning and carving.