The African Blackwood (Dalbergia melanoxylon) is the national tree of Tanzania. In the Kiswahili language it is called Mpingo. It is a small, gnarled and heavily branched tree that grows very slowly and it doesn't reach harvestable age for 70 to 100 years. It has very dense, nearly black heartwood that is currently harvested for international trade, mainly from Tanzania and Mozambique. Mpingo (African Blackwood) is an important part of many ecosystems, such as the open Miombo woodland that covers two-thirds of Tanzania.

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