Common Names: Pod Mahogany, Mupapa, Musambambamfwa, Mwande, Mwala, Mpapa
Family: Fabaceae (Legume Family) Caesalpinoideae
 
Growth Form, Habitat and Distribution 
A large, semi-deciduous tree with a short cylindrical, sometimes divided trunk and upward-spreading lateral branches. Occurs throughout Zambia except in montane, dry evergreen and swamp forest areas, particularly abundant in Lake Basin Chipya and Kalahari woodland.
Size     Height up to 25m, spread 8 to 12m.
Bark    Grey-brown, becoming darker, cracked and flaking leaving pale patches.
Leaves    Compound, paripinnate, alternate with 4 to 6 pairs of opposite or sub-opposite oblong-elliptic leaflets (2 to 9cm), glossy green above, paler below.  Leafless from July to November. Petiole 2 to 6cm.
Flowers    Sweet-smelling, with a single red or pink petal in sprays, July to November. 
Fruit     Large, dark brown flattened, oblong wooden pods (10 to 17cm) mature a year later and split on the tree releasing 6 to 10 “lucky bean” seeds. black with and red-orange cap (up to 3cm). 
Uses    The wood is reddish-brown and used for canoes and polishes well as furniture items. The leaves and seeds are eaten by wildlife. The bark and roots are used in traditional medicine. 
Other species in Zambia: 2 other species. Afzelia bipindensis in recorded from Mwinilunga galley forest with A. peturei, possibly the same species.