''Erythrophleum suaveolens'', also known as the ordeal tree, is a species of flowering plant that can be found across most of tropical Africa. The species are in height, and have a rough and blackish bark. The plants leaves have 2–3 pairs of

pinnae Pinna may refer to: Biology * Pinna (anatomy), or auricle, the outer part of the ear * ''Pinna'' (bivalve), a genus of molluscs * Pinna (botany), a primary segment of a compound leaf People Surname * Christophe Pinna (born 1968), French marti ...

, which carry 7–13 leaflets. The leaflets are , are green coloured and

ovate Ovate may refer to: * Ovate (egg-shaped) leaves, tepals, or other botanical parts *Ovate, a type of prehistoric stone hand axe * Ovates, one of three ranks of membership in the Welsh Gorsedd * Vates or ovate, a term for ancient Celtic bards ...

. The flowers have fluffy spikes, and are creamy-yellow coloured. Fruits are hard, the pod of which is flat. The bark of the tree has been used in

Liberia Liberia, officially the Republic of Liberia, is a country on the West African coast. It is bordered by Sierra Leone to Liberia–Sierra Leone border, its northwest, Guinea to Guinea–Liberia border, its north, Ivory Coast to Ivory Coast–Lib ...

to make a toxic concoction used for a form of

trial by ordeal Trial by ordeal was an ancient judicial practice by which the guilt or innocence of the accused (called a "proband") was determined by subjecting them to a painful, or at least an unpleasant, usually dangerous experience. In medieval Europe, like ...

called "

sassywood Sassywood is an ancient West African form of trial by ordeal. Although it has been outlawed due to human rights concerns, it remains in sporadic use in Liberia. In sassywood, the necessary ordeal can take on many different forms. The principal one i ...

". This use has given it the common name of the "Ordeal Tree". Flowers of Erythrophleum suaveolens

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suaveolens Plants described in 1832 Flora of Africa {{Caesalpinioideae-stub