Thulin, M. (1993) Fabaceae, Flora of Somalia 1: 1-465
Plants trees, with spreading crowns. Leaves 6-32 cm long; leaflets in (3-)4-6(-7) pairs, elliptic to ovate elliptic. 2.3-9(-12) cm long, 1.5-6(-7.2) cm wide, bases rounded to obtuse, topes often emarginate. Racemes erect, simple or one-forked. Flowers sweetly scented; hypanthia 1.2-2.5 cm long; outer speals 0.9-1.7 cm long; inner sepals 1.7-2.5 cm long; petals turned upwards, 2.5-4.5 cm long, bilobed, pubescent, outsides green, red inside. Pods straight, 7-23 cm ling. 4.5-8.3 cm wide; seeds black, 2-3.4 cm long. 0.9-1.7 cm wide, with red or orage cup-shaped arils.
Afzelia quanzensis grows in semi-evergreen forests and riverine woodlands at 50-300 m, the northen locatlities usually around inselbergs. It grows wild in regions S1 and S3 of Somalia and in eastern Kenya, Tanzania, and south to Angola and Transvall. The timber is much prized for furniture and other kinds of carpentry.