| Ixora brachypoda | |
|---|---|
 | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Eudicots |
| Clade: | Asterids |
| Order: | Gentianales |
| Family: | Rubiaceae |
| Genus: | Ixora |
| Species: | I. brachypoda |
| Binomial name | |
| Ixora brachypoda | |
Ixora brachypoda is a species of shrub or small tree in the family Rubiaceae. It has fragrant flowers and glabrous leaves and stems. [1]
The species grows up to 6 m in height. The bark is brown with longitudinal scaly fissures and the slash has a yellow to whitish color. [2] Leaves, sessile or subsessile with stipules and petioles present; stipules reaches up to 3 mm wide and 2 mm long while petiole reaches 2 mm long. Leaflets are elliptic to ovate in outline, up to 27 cm long and 14 cm wide with an acuminate apex and cuneate base. [2] The inflorescence is corymbose and many flowered, sometimes with more than 200 flowers, corolla is tubular, white, sometimes tinged with pink. The fruit is globular in shape, up to 9 mm wide and 8 mm long, reddish black when ripe. [2]
Occurs in West and Central Africa, from Guinea Bissau to the Democratic Republic of Congo. Found in gallery forests and along streams. [2]
In ethnomedicine, bark extracts of Ixora brachypoda are used in pain management, while root extracts are used as an antihelminthic and also to aid the healing process. [3]