Vitex dewevrei De Wild. & T.Durand

Vitex keniensis is a tree 12-30 m tall, up to 1.8 (max. 3) m in diameter; bole 12-18 m; bark very thin, rough and slightly fissured; slash creamy-yellow turning dirty green; stems, petiole and leaf venation beneath with long shaggy indumentum. Leaves 5-foliolate; leaflets obovate 5.5-1.7 x 3.2-8.5 cm, broadly rounded to obtusely acuminate at the apex, cuneate to rounded at the base, coriaceous, sparsely puberuluos above, paler beneath and completely covered with soft ochraceous tomentum and glands; petiole 13.5-17 cm long; petiolules absent. Cymes ochraceus, tomentose, somewhat lax, forming axillary panicles up to 12 cm long, 24 cm wide. Flowers small, 7-8 mm long, white or purplish, with largest lobe dark mauve, in axillary dichasia 12-18 cm long. Fruit ellipsoid, 13-16 mm long, green at first, becoming soft and black when mature, the hairy calyx persisting. The inner nut usually has 4-5 seeds. The generic name, ‘Vitex’, is an old Latin name for the genus.

Vitex species generally exhibit hermaphroditism, where both functional male and female organs are in the same flower (Lars Schmidt, 2000).

Prefers deep sandy-loam soils.

Common in moist evergreen forest and on thicketed rocky hills.

In Kenya, the 1st V. keniensis plantation was established in the early 1950s in Irangi forest, and later in Ragati forest on the slopes of Mt Kenya. By 1973, 617.3 ha had been established. It has also been cultivated in Uganda and Tanzania.

Seedlings are an ideal method of propagation. Seed germination is low and sporadic, up to 40% after 9 weeks. Dry fruit, and then rub over a wire mesh to remove pulp. Dry in the shade. Pretreatment is not necessary, but soaking in cold water for 24 hours may improve germination.

A fairly fast-growing tree. Coppicing is practised. The crop may reach a mean thinning cycle of 3-5 years. It might be justifiable to thin the crop down to 200 stems/ha or fewer and leave it to grow to age 45.

The tree is normally attacked by the fungus Armillaria mellea that results in a black resin on the stems of some trees in plantations. This is not a threat to the establishment of the species, however, and can be checked by uprooting the affected trees during the 1st thinning operation. Various game animals may damage the trunk, exposing it to drying and fungi.

Orthodox seed storage behaviour. Seeds tolerate desiccation to 8.5% mc. Viability can be maintained for at least 1 year in hermetic storage at 3 deg. C with 5.5-9.5% mc. There are about 2 500 seeds/kg.

Shade or shelter: The tree is sometimes planted as a windbreak. Soil improver: Deciduous and produces a useful mulch of leaf litter. Ornamental: A popular ornamental tree.

Food: The fruit is edible but usually eaten only in an emergency. Fuel: V. keniensis is a suitable source of firewood. Timber: Wood is pale greyish-brown, coarse textured with well-marked growth zones and often with a wavy grain figure; seasons well. The heartwood of trees over 60 cm in diameter is often dark and very decorative. The timber is hard and durable, very pale and similar to teak. It works easily and is used for cabinet work, panelling, veneer, furniture and coffin boards.