| Balanites wilsoniana | |
|---|---|
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Eudicots |
| Clade: | Rosids |
| Order: | Zygophyllales |
| Family: | Zygophyllaceae |
| Genus: | Balanites |
| Species: | B. wilsoniana |
| Binomial name | |
| Balanites wilsoniana Dawe & Sprague [1] | |
| Synonyms [1] | |
Balanites tieghemiiA.Chev. | |
Balanites wilsoniana is a species of fruit-bearing tree from west and central Africa from the caltrop family (Zygophyllaceae).
Balanites wilsoniana, commonly called the Boko Tree, is a tall rainforest tree to 120 feet (35 meters) [2] with high buttresses, which continue up on the trunk as twisted fluting; the young trees have forked spines; If the bark is cut the tree exudes copious, scented gum. Leaves bifoliate, (two, one-inch (2.5 cm) leaves on a common stalk) and are frequently slightly unequal-sided at their base. [3] The buttresses can sometime be spiny, the trunk can grow to 1m (three feet) in diameter and the tree can grow to 30-40m in height, with an irregular crown. [4] It has yellow green flowers borne in stalked clusters, the petals are pubescent on their inner surface. The fruit is a green drupe, 6–10 cm in length, ripening to yellow and has an unpleasant smell. A fibrous coat surrounds the stone. [5] The stone, or seed, is up to 8.8 cm (3.46 inches) in length by 4.7 cm (1.81 inches) in diameter; one of the largest seeds known. [6]
Balanites wilsoniana is found from Ghana to Uganda and Tanzania south to Angola and the Democratic Republic of Congo. [4] but has been recorded west of Ghana in Liberia. [3]
Balanites wilsoniana is a found in semi-deciduous or evergreen rainforest, humid forest, lowland riverine forest, and also in coastal forest in Angola. It normally forms part of quite speciose associations; especially where there are clay-rich substrates. It occurs at elevations up to 1,200 metres above sea level. [4]
The fallen fruits of Balanites wilsoniana are eaten by African elephants and by gorillas. Gorillas also eat the leaves. [5] Elephants disperse the seeds, and juvenile trees are only recorded away from the adult trees in forests where elephants are present. [7]
A cooking oil is extracted from the seeds of Balanites wilsoniana, the seeds are pounded then boiled in water to extract the oil which is skimmed off the water once cooled. A healing, soothing ointment is made of the oil, as well as being used as a lubricant. [4]
Despite its unpleasant smell, the fruit is regarded as edible. [4]
A steroidal saponin, diosgenin, is present in the flesh of the fruit and in the stone, and is a substance of interest as a primary compound for the production of pharmaceutical steroids. [4] The bark and roots are used to kill freshwater snails and for fishing. They are effective in killing the snails which host the parasite Schistosoma (cause of bilharzia in humans) as well as killing the larval stages of the parasite. [5]
The wood of Balanites wilsoniana is fairly heavy, straight-grained and soft, initially it is white in colour but yellows with time. It is easily worked, polishes well, and is a suitable timber for building poles, carving, the handles of tools, spoons, walking sticks, furniture such as stools and grain mortars. It is also used for fuel and for making charcoal. [4]
Monodora myristica, the calabash nutmeg, is a tropical tree of the family Annonaceae or custard apple family of flowering plants. It is native to Angola, Benin, Cameroon, the Central African Republic, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Ghana, Guinea-Bissau, Ivory Coast, Kenya, Liberia, Nigeria, the Republic of the Congo, Sierra Leone, Sudan, Tanzania, Togo and Uganda. In former times, its seeds were widely sold as an inexpensive nutmeg substitute. This is now less common outside its region of production. Other names of calabash nutmeg include Jamaican nutmeg, African nutmeg, ehuru, ariwo, awerewa, ehiri, airama, African orchid nutmeg, muscadier de Calabash and lubushi.
Syzygium crebrinerve is a fairly common Australian tree, growing from near Taree, New South Wales to Calliope in Queensland. Common names include purple cherry, rose satinash, and black water gum. The habitat of Syzygium crebrinerve is sub tropical rainforest on basaltic or fertile alluvial soils.
Syzygium corynanthum, commonly known as sour cherry and Killarney satinash, is a common Australian tree which grows in surrounding areas from Taree, New South Wales to tropical Queensland.The habitat of Syzygium corynanthum is rainforest on basaltic or fertile alluvial soils.
Pararchidendron pruinosum is an Australian rainforest tree growing from the Shoalhaven River in New South Wales to Herberton in north Queensland. It is also native to New Guinea and to Java, Sulawesi, and the Lesser Sunda Islands in Indonesia. Common names include Snow-wood, Tulip Siris and Monkey's Earrings. It is the sole species in genus Pararchidendron.
Endiandra sieberi, known as the corkwood is a rainforest tree growing in eastern Australia.
Cryptocarya obovata is a species of laurel growing on basaltic and fertile alluvial soils in eastern Australian rainforests. It is found from Wyong in New South Wales to Gympie in the state of Queensland. Extinct in the Illawarra region, allegedly last seen in the Illawarra in 1818 by Allan Cunningham. The species was included in the Prodromus Florae Novae Hollandiae et Insulae Van Diemen, 402 (1810)
Diospyros australis is the most southerly of the group of some 450 ebonies and persimmons. It is a shrub or small tree growing in rainforests of seaward eastern Australia. The habitat is in a variety of different rainforest forms, though not often seen in the cool temperate rainforests. The range of natural distribution is from Durras Lake near Batemans Bay in south east New South Wales, to Atherton in tropical Queensland.
Psychotria loniceroides, the hairy psychotria, is a plant native to the forest areas of eastern Australia.
Balanites aegyptiaca is a species of tree, classified as a member of either the Zygophyllaceae or the Balanitaceae. This tree is native to much of Africa and parts of the Middle East.
Austrobuxus swainii is a rare rainforest tree in the Picrodendraceae family. It is endemic to north east New South Wales and south eastern Queensland, Australia. Occurring from the Bellinger River in the south to Tallebudgera Creek in the north. The common names are pink cherry or hairybark. The habitat is less fertile sedimentary based soils, often associated with the Coachwood, in high rainfall areas. Listed on ROTAP, as a threatened species, with a rating of 3RCa.
Rhodamnia argentea is a rainforest tree of eastern Australia. Commonly known asmalletwood, white myrtle, silver leaf, silver malletwood and white turpentine. The natural habitat is a variety of different rain forests, at sea level or in the adjacent ranges. Growing on sand, alluvium and volcanic based soils. From the Hastings River, New South Wales to Bowen, Queensland.
Xylosma terrae-reginae is a rainforest tree of eastern Australia. The habitat is in sea side or relatively dry rainforest areas, mostly on private property. Found as far south as Ballina, New South Wales to as far north as near Maryborough, Queensland. It is listed as endangered by extinction. As this is a relatively unknown plant, it has no common name as such, apart from the generic name Xylosma.
Pittosporum lancifolium, known as the narrow-leaved orange thorn or sticky orange thorn, is a shrub or tree growing in eastern Australia. Often found at altitudes above 500 metres above sea level; from Mallanganee National Park in New South Wales in the south to Yarraman in south east Queensland in the north.
Omphalocarpum elatum Miers is a tall, tropical African tree belonging to the family Sapotaceae, remarkable for the large fruits growing directly from the trunk, and in many ways resembling the Lecythidaceae genus Napoleonaea. It is found in Equatorial Guinea, Sierra Leone, Ghana, the Central African Republic, Gabon, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Nigeria, Liberia, Cameroon, Côte d’Ivoire and Angola in the south. The fruits are favoured by elephants, the only animals able to break through the hard shell. They do this by skewering the fruit with a tusk while using their trunk to brace it against the ground. Having passed through the elephant's digestive tract, seeds germinate more readily. Although not yet endangered, the tree's life cycle is tied to that of forest elephants, and may become threatened in regions where elephant populations are under pressure.
Parkia filicoidea, or African locust bean, is a large, spreading flat-crowned tree to 30 metres tall, the bole of which may be narrowly buttressed to a height of about 3 metres, and up to 120 cm DBH. It occurs in wet evergreen or semi-deciduous forest, sometimes on forest fringes, riverbanks and lakes, termite mounds, at elevations up to 1000 metres from Côte d’Ivoire, east to Sudan and Somalia, Uganda, Kenya, Malawi and south to Angola, Zambia, Zimbabwe and Mozambique. Bark on trunk scaly or smooth, grey to yellow-brown, branchlets glabrous to puberulous.
Balanites angolensis, or Angolan green-thorn, is a species of tree from southern Africa, it is a member of the caltrop family, Zygophyllaceae.
Lannea welwitschii is a species of tree in the family Anacardiaceae. It is native to the tropical rainforests of West and Central Africa. The timber is used to make furniture and utensils and for many other purposes, the fruits can be eaten, and the bark is used to produce a dye, for making rope and in traditional medicine.
Sacoglottis gabonensis, commonly known as bitterbark tree or cherry mahogany is a medium to large sized evergreen tree within the Humiriaceae family. It is the only species within the genus, Sacoglottis that is native to tropical Africa, another, guianensis Benth. being native to Amazonia. It occurs in rainforests or on sandy soils of Senegal eastwards to Angola in central Africa. It is traded locally and known in some countries under the name Ozouga.
Pentaclethra macrophylla, also known as the African oil bean, tree is a large size tree with long bipinnate compound leaves that is endemic to West and Central Africa. It is within the family Fabaceae. Seeds of the species are prepared and fermented to make Ugba, a soup condiment in Nigeria.
Zanthoxylum avicennae is a woody plant in the family Rutaceae.