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25 Oct IITA FC FB Page

This is Triplochiton scleroxylon, the African maple tree. Popularly called ‘arere’ in Yoruba. It is food for the African silk moth, Anaphe venata. Hence, also called the African silk moth tree.

Triplochiton scleroxylon seedling & tree

The African silk moth, with large irregular shaped cocoons were once the basis of village silk industries, but are now a rarity due to deforestation and scarcity of their food and home tree.

Triplochiton scleroxylon is one of the seedlings being re-planted at the degraded Olokemeji Forest Reserve. Successful reforestation of this forest reserve could also mean the revival of our traditional silk industry, and reproduction of the beautiful traditional wear Yorubas call ‘sanyon.’