| Gardenia erubescens | |
|---|---|
 | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Eudicots |
| Clade: | Asterids |
| Order: | Gentianales |
| Family: | Rubiaceae |
| Genus: | Gardenia |
| Species: | G. erubescens |
| Binomial name | |
| Gardenia erubescens | |
| Synonyms | |
| |
Gardenia erubescens is a species of shrub or small tree in the family Rubiaceae . [2] [3] It has edible fruits and occurs in the Guinea and Sudan savannah vegetation of West and Central Africa. [4]
A shrub or small tree, the species grows to 3 meters in height. Leaves are opposite, grows on the end of short branches and grouped in tufts, when dry, the foliage have a purple greyish color on the upper surface which becomes a little duller beneath, [5] [4] both sides are glabrous. Stipules are 2–4 mm long, leaf-blade is broadly obovate. [4] Inflorescence; flowers are solitary or in small clusters, calyx is tubular consisting of 6 linear lobes, corolla, also is in a tubular form, consisting of about 6 elliptic lobes. Fruit has an ellipsoid or ovoid shape, it is yellowish in color when ripe, about 3–8 cm long. [4] [6]
Commonly occurs in woodland savannas in West African countries of Senegal, Nigeria, and eastwards towards Central Africa.
Test on plant extracts identified the presence of the compounds beta-sitosterol, oleanolic acid, ursolic acid and a group of methylated flavonoids that includes 5-hydroxy-7,4'-dimethoxyflavone and triterpenoids. [7] [8] [9]
In parts of Northern Nigeria, a decoction of the species is used to treat a variety of health issues including gonorrhea, ascites and loss of appetite, extracts are also used as an aphrodisiac and stimulant. [7] Its edible fruit are consumed by locals.
Rubiaceae is a family of flowering plants, commonly known as the coffee, madder, or bedstraw family. It consists of terrestrial trees, shrubs, lianas, or herbs that are recognizable by simple, opposite leaves with interpetiolar stipules and sympetalous actinomorphic flowers. The family contains about 14,100 species in about 580 genera, which makes it the fourth-largest angiosperm family. Rubiaceae has a cosmopolitan distribution; however, the largest species diversity is concentrated in the tropics and subtropics. Economically important genera include Coffea, the source of coffee; Cinchona, the source of the antimalarial alkaloid quinine; ornamental cultivars ; and historically some dye plants.
Morinda citrifolia is a fruit-bearing tree in the coffee family, Rubiaceae, native to Southeast Asia and Australasia, which was spread across the Pacific by Polynesian sailors. The species is now cultivated throughout the tropics and widely naturalised. There are over 100 names for this fruit across different regions, including great morinda, Indian mulberry, noni, beach mulberry, vomit fruit, awl tree, and rotten cheese fruit.
Gardenia is a genus of flowering plants in the coffee family, Rubiaceae, native to the tropical and subtropical regions of Africa, Asia, Madagascar, Pacific Islands, and Australia.
Attalea maripa, commonly called maripa palm is a palm native to tropical South America and Trinidad and Tobago. It grows up 35 m (115 ft) tall and can have leaves or fronds 10–12 m (33–39 ft) long. This plant has a yellow edible fruit which is oblong ovoid and cream. An edible oil can be extracted from the pulp of the fruit and from the kernel of the seed.
Crassocephalum bauchiense is a species of flowering plant in the family Asteraceae. It is found in Cameroon, Equatorial Guinea, Nigeria, possibly Democratic Republic of the Congo, and possibly Uganda. Its natural habitat is moist savanna. It is threatened by habitat loss.
Atractocarpus chartaceus, commonly known as the narrow-leaved gardenia, is a species of evergreen flowering plant in the coffee family Rubiaceae. It is found in subtropical rainforest of eastern Queensland, Australia, and it is cultivated for its fragrant flowers and colourful fruit.
Hypodaphnis is a monotypic genus of flowering plants of the family Lauraceae. Its only extant species, Hypodaphnis zenkeri, is native to Gabon. Although only one living species is known, fossils of some species of this genus are present in North America, especially in Northern Mexico. In most phylogenetic analysis, Hypodaphnis appears as the basal branch, the sister group of the rest of the family Lauraceae.
Boswellia dalzielii is a tree species in the family Burseraceae found in Africa. The bark of this plant is used in traditional medicines.
Tapinanthus bangwensis is a species of hemiparasitic plant in the family Loranthaceae, which is native to the tropics of western sub-Saharan Africa.
Gardenia actinocarpa is a rare and endangered plant in the coffee and gardenia family Rubiaceae, native to a very restricted area within the Wet Tropics rainforest of northeastern Queensland.
Atractocarpus hirtus, commonly known as the hairy gardenia or native loquat, is a plant in the coffee family Rubiaceae, a large family of some 6,500 species with a cosmopolitan distribution. This species is endemic to northeastern Queensland, Australia.
Lannea microcarpa is a dioecious plant within the Anacardiaceae family. It is also called African grapes and occurs in the Sudan and Guinea savanna of West Africa from Senegal to Cameroon. The plant is used to dye basilan fini, a traditional cloth in a red and brown colour.
Sterculia setigera is a deciduous tree species within the Malvaceae family. It commonly occurs in the Sahelo-Sudan and Guinea savannah zones of Tropical Africa. Among the Hausa people it is known as Kukkuki. It is an important tree crop in Senegal as Gum karaya obtained from the woody species is exported from the country.
Serruria bolusii, the Agulhas spiderhead, is a flower-bearing shrub that belongs to the family Proteaceae. It is part of the South African fynbos vegetation type. The plant is native to the Western Cape and is found in Elim hills and Soetanysberg. The shrub grows upright to 1.0 m tall and flowers from August to December.
Paranomus reflexus, the Van Staden's scepter, is a flower-bearing shrub that belongs to the family Proteaceae. It is part of the South African fynbos vegetation type. The plant is native to the Eastern Cape where it occurs on the Elandsberg and Van Stadensberg.
Paranomus tomentosus, the hairy-leaf tree sceptre, is a flower-bearing shrub that belongs to the genus Proteaceae. It is part of the South African fynbos vegetation type. The plant is native to the Western Cape, South Africa.
Leucadendron meyerianum, the Van Rhynsdorp conebush, is a flower-bearing shrub that belongs to the family Proteaceae. It is part of the fynbos vegetation type of South Africa. The plant is native to the Western Cape and Northern Cape, where it occurs in the Bokkeveld escarpment near Nieuwoudtville. The shrub grows 2.0 m tall and bears flowers in August. Two months after the plant has flowered, the fruit appears and the seeds later fall to the ground where they are spread by rodents. The plant grows in level, sandstone sand at altitudes of 800 m. Small beetles do the pollination.
Serruria dodii, the Hex River spiderhead, is a flowering shrub that belongs to the family Proteaceae. It is part of the South African fynbos vegetation type. The plant is endemic to the Western Cape and occurs in the Hex River Mountains and Keeromsberg. The shrub grows upright, reaches a height of 1.0 m and flowers from August to November.
Serruria leipoldtii, the Leipoldt's spiderhead, is a flowering shrub that belongs to the family Proteaceae. It is part of the South African fynbos vegetation type. The plant is endemic to the Western Cape and occurs in the northern Sederberg. The shrub grows up to 1.5 m tall with a diameter of 30 cm and flowers from summer to autumn.
Sorocephalus crassifolius, the flowerless clusterhead, is a flowering shrub that belongs to the family Proteaceae.. It is part of the South African fynbos vegetation type. The plant is endemic to the Western Cape where it occurs on the Riviersonderendberge. The plants were last seen in flower in the 1980s. There are only fifteen plants left.
