Megaphrynium macrostachyum

Last updated

Megaphrynium macrostachyum
Sarcophrynium arnoldianum - leaves detail.jpg
Megaphrynium macrostachyum-Jardin botanique Meise (1).jpg
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Monocots
Clade: Commelinids
Order: Zingiberales
Family: Marantaceae
Genus: Megaphrynium
Species:
M. macrostachyum
Binomial name
Megaphrynium macrostachyum
(K.Schum.) Milne-Redh
Synonyms [1]
  • Phyllodes macrostachya K.Schum., Bot. Jahrb. Syst. 15: 445 (1892).
  • Sarcophrynium macrostachyum (K.Schum.) K.Schum. in H.G.A.Engler (ed.), Pflanzenr., IV, 48: 37 (1902).

Megaphrynium macrostachyum is a species of large plant in the Marantaceae family native to tropical Africa. [1] It grows in moist places and regenerates rapidly after ground disturbance or fire. The long stems have various uses in making cord, baskets and mats, and the large leaves are used for wrapping food, for making utensils and containers, and in herbal medicine.

Contents

Description

Megaphrynium macrostachyum is a rhizomatous perennial plant up to 4 m (13 ft) tall. Each stem bears a single leaf and an inflorescence, the remaining leaves arising directly from the rhizome which can be 6 m (20 ft) long. These leaves are borne on petioles up to 5 m (16 ft) long which sheath the stem at its base and have calloused portions just below the blade. Each leaf blade is ovate/elliptical, up to 60 cm × 30 cm (24 in × 12 in), with a rounded base and acute apex. The inflorescence forms a spike just below the calloused portion of the petiole, with branches formed of zig-zag nodes. The small flowers are bisexual and subtended by bracts and are white to bluish-purple. They are followed by three-lobed, globular fruits which turn bright red and split open when ripe. The three seeds embedded in white pulp are purplish-black. [2]

Distribution

Megaphrynium macrostachyum is native to tropical, sub-Saharan Africa, its range extending from Liberia to South Sudan and Uganda, and southward to Gabon, the Republic of Congo, and the Democratic Republic of Congo, at altitudes of up to 1,500 m (5,000 ft). [2]

Ecology

Megaphrynium macrostachyum is a large, fast-growing plant. It occurs in wet habitats in both primary and secondary forests, in clearings, in logged areas and on fallow land. It regenerates from the rhizome after wildfires and other disturbances and may form dense, monospecific patches which may reduce the regeneration of trees. The flowers are attractive to bees and the rhizomes are eaten by gorillas, chimpanzees and bonobos.

Uses

The leaves of Megaphrynium macrostachyum are used to wrap food while it is cooking, imparting a characteristic aroma to the food. For example, it is the preferred wrapping for a staple dish of central Africa, chikwangue (cassava bread). [3] The young leaves can be cooked and eaten as a vegetable and older leaves are used to make disposable table-wear, containers, funnels, pots, fans and parasols. The petioles, either whole or split, are used to make cord, baskets and mats. [2] The leaves are also used in herbal medicine as a sedative and to treat epilepsy and mental problems, another use being as an antidote to snake venom and arthropod stings. [4]

Research

Megaphrynium macrostachyum has been used in research into the manufacture of silver nanoparticles by plant extracts. The nanoparticles show antimicrobial activity against E. coli and can "find immense application in the field of biomedical appliances and formulation of antimicrobial agents and in combination with antibiotics". [5] Other research showed that a leaf extract given at low dose rates may positively affect blood producing tissues. [4]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Spearmint</span> Species of mint

Spearmint, also known as garden mint, common mint, lamb mint and mackerel mint, is a species of mint, Mentha spicata (, native to Europe and southern temperate Asia, extending from Ireland in the west to southern China in the east. It is naturalized in many other temperate parts of the world, including northern and southern Africa, North America, and South America. It is used as a flavouring in food and herbal teas. The aromatic oil, called oil of spearmint, is also used as a flavoring and sometimes as a scent.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Turmeric</span> Plant used as spice

Turmeric or Curcuma longa, is a flowering plant in the ginger family Zingiberaceae. It is a perennial, rhizomatous, herbaceous plant native to the Indian subcontinent and Southeast Asia that requires temperatures between 20 and 30 °C and high annual rainfall to thrive. Plants are gathered each year for their rhizomes, some for propagation in the following season and some for consumption.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Marantaceae</span> Family of flowering plants in the Commelinid order Zingiberales

The Marantaceae are a family, the arrowroot family, of flowering plants consisting of 31 genera and around 530 species, defining it as one of the most species-rich families in its order. Species of this family are found in lowland tropical forests of Africa, Asia, and the Americas. The majority (80%) of the species are found in the American tropics, followed by Asian (11%) and African (9%) tropics. They are commonly called the prayer-plant family and are also known for their unique secondary pollination presentation.

<i>Althaea officinalis</i> Species of plant

Althaea officinalis, the marsh mallow or marshmallow, is a species of flowering plant indigenous to Europe, Western Asia and North Africa, which is used in herbalism and as an ornamental plant. A confection made from the root since ancient Egyptian times evolved into today's marshmallow treat, but most modern marshmallow treats no longer contain any marsh-mallow root.

<i>Chamaerops</i> Genus of palms

Chamaerops is a genus of flowering plants in the family Arecaceae. It contains only one species, Chamaerops humilis, variously called European fan palm or the Mediterranean dwarf palm. It is one of the most cold-hardy palms and is used in landscaping in temperate climates.

<i>Canna indica</i> Species of flowering plant

Canna indica, commonly known as Indian shot, African arrowroot, edible canna, purple arrowroot, Sierra Leone arrowroot, is a plant species in the family Cannaceae. It is native to much of South America, Central America, the West Indies, and Mexico. It is also naturalized in the southeastern United States, and much of Europe, sub-Saharan Africa, Southeast Asia, and Oceania.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Congolese cuisine</span> Food and drink of the Democratic Republic of the Congo

The cuisine of the Democratic Republic of the Congo and the Republic of the Congo varies widely, representing the food of indigenous people. Cassava, fufu, rice, plantain and potatoes are generally the staple foods eaten with other side dishes.

<i>Bambusa vulgaris</i> Species of plant

Bambusa vulgaris, common bamboo, is an open-clump type bamboo species. It is native to Indochina and to the province of Yunnan in southern China, but it has been widely cultivated in many other places and has become naturalized in several regions. Among bamboo species, it is one of the largest and most easily recognized.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Petiole (botany)</span> Stalk holding a leaf to its stem

In botany, the petiole is the stalk that attaches the leaf blade to the stem. It is able to twist the leaf to face the sun, producing a characteristic foliage arrangement, and also optimizing its exposure to sunlight. Outgrowths appearing on each side of the petiole in some species are called stipules. The terms petiolate and apetiolate are applied respectively to leaves with and without petioles.

<i>Labisia pumila</i> Species of plant

Labisia pumila is a flowering plant in the family Primulaceae native to Malaysia. It is a small, woody and leafy plant with leaves of 20 cm (7.9 in) in length, and grows widely in the shade of the tropical forest floor. The plant is popular in the traditional medicine of the Malaysian and Indonesian community, in which it is believed to be the female version of the equally well-known tongkat Ali, i.e. Ali's walking stick.

<i>Curculigo capitulata</i> Species of flowering plant

Curculigo capitulata is a stout herb that belongs to the genus Curculigo. It is known by the common names palm grass, whale back, and weevil lily, and by various synonyms, including Molineria capitulata. It ranges from the Himalayas and eastern India through Indochina, southern China, Malesia, and New Guinea to Queensland and the Solomon Islands. The plant has yellow flowers and oblong, papery pleated leaves with very short stems. In China and India, the plant has traditional uses as medicine to treat diseases such as hemorrhoids, asthma, and consumptive cough. In Southeast Asia, the plant is also used as food wrapping and the fibres are used to make fishing nets, ropes and false hair. However, in recent years Molineria capitulata is more often used as ornamental plants in gardens. In recent studies, M. capitulata was also found to have potential in treating several chronic diseases due to its high antifungal, antioxidant, cytotoxic, thrombolytic, anti-inflammatory, and analgesic activities.

<i>Thaumatococcus daniellii</i> Species of flowering plant

Thaumatococcus daniellii, also known as miracle fruit or miracle berry, is a plant species from tropical Africa of the Marantaceae family. It is a large, rhizomatous, flowering herb native to the rainforests of western Africa in Sierra Leone, southeast to Gabon and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. It is also an introduced species in Australia and Singapore.

<i>Eupatorium fortunei</i> Species of flowering plant

Eupatorium fortunei is a plant species in the family Asteraceae native from Asia where it is rare in the wild but commonly cultivated. The white to reddish colored flowers and herbage smell like lavender when crushed. In China the plants are used to make fragrant oils.

Alpinia nigra is a medium-sized herb belonging to the ginger family. The rhizome is well known in many Asian cultures as a medicinal and culinary item. In many Asian tribal communities it is a part of the diet along with rice.

<i>Ceratotheca sesamoides</i> Species of flowering plant

Ceratotheca sesamoides is an annual flowering plant in the genus Ceratotheca. It is indigenous to Africa, and grows both as a wild and locally-cultivated species, and is colloquially referred to as false sesame owing to its marked similarities with common sesame. The plant is most commonly cultivated in the African savannah and other semi-arid areas on the continent, and is found across Africa in both tropical and sub-tropical latitudes, usually growing in sandier soils south of the Sahara. It can be identified by numerous hairs on the stem; its pinkish flowers, often showing brown and purple markings; and a sub-erect growth habit. The leaves and flowers are often consumed as a vegetable or used in sauces. The leaves are thought to have medicinal properties, while the seeds can be used to produce cooking oil. Despite its many uses and increasing domestication at a local level, the plant remains predominantly underused and undervalued.

<i>Olyra latifolia</i> Species of plant

Olyra latifolia, commonly known as carrycillo, is a species of bamboo in the grass family Poaceae. It occurs in Mexico, Central and South America, and in sub-Saharan Africa. It is a common species, up to 5 m (16 ft) tall, growing prolifically in rainforests, particularly near the margins.

<i>Marantochloa purpurea</i> Species of flowering plant

Marantochloa purpurea is a species of plant in the family Marantaceae. It is found in tropical Africa, where its natural habitat is moist lowland forest. The leaf stems are used for various purposes including making string, baskets, mats and traps and the leaves are used for thatching, and for wrapping objects.

<i>Haumania liebrechtsiana</i> Species of flowering plant

Haumania liebrechtsiana is a species of plant in the family Marantaceae. It grows as an understorey herb or climber in tropical forests in Central Africa. The leaves and shoots are eaten by gorillas and chimpanzees, and the leaves and stems have traditional uses.

<i>Mucuna gigantea</i> Species of plant in the family Fabaceae

Mucuna gigantea, commonly known as burny bean, burney bean, velvet bean or sea bean is a species of liana from the legume family Fabaceae. Its natural range roughly follows the perimeter of the Indian Ocean and includes Africa, India, Malesia, New Guinea and northern Australia. Many parts of the plant - in particular the new growth, flowers and fruit - are covered in fine irritant hairs.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chikwangue</span> African cassava dish

Chikwangue, also known in Cameroon as bobolo and in the Congo River basin language of Lingala as kwanga, is a starchy, fermented-cassava product that is a staple food across Central Africa: the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), the Republic of Congo (RotC), Gabon, Cameroon and Equatorial Guinea. Chikwangue is made by fermenting cassava in water for up to fourteen days, then turning it into a paste and wrapping it in marantaceae leaves for steaming.

References

  1. 1 2 "Megaphrynium macrostachyum (K.Schum.) Milne-Redh., Kew Bull. 7: 170 (1952)". World Checklist of Selected Plant Families. Kewscience. Retrieved 3 July 2019.
  2. 1 2 3 Brink, M.; Achigan-Dako, E.G. (2012). Fibres. PROTA. pp.  327–329. ISBN   978-92-9081-481-8.
  3. Ze, Nardis Nkoudou; Engama, Marie-Joseph Medzeme; Ngang, Jean Justin Essia (18 August 2021). "New retting method of cassava roots improve sensory attributes of Bobolo and Chikwangue in Central Africa: an approach through just about right (JAR) test". Emirates Journal of Food and Agriculture: 475–482. doi: 10.9755/ejfa.2021.v33.i6.2716 . S2CID   237952460.; "Baton de Manioc and Chikwangue". The Congo Cookbook. 6 August 2018.
  4. 1 2 Okungbowa, M.A.; Osime, E.O.; Enwema, J.C.; Aruomaren, A.I. (2013). "Effect of Megaphrynium Macrostachyum Leaf Extract on some Haematological Parameters using Albino Rats: A Preliminary Study". Annals of Biomedical Sciences. 12 (2): 21–28.
  5. Meva, Francois Eya'ane; Ebongue, Cecile Okalla; Fannang, Simone Véronique; et al. (2017). "Natural Substances for the Synthesis of Silver Nanoparticles against Escherichia coli: The Case of Megaphrynium macrostachyum (Marantaceae), Corchorus olitorus (Tiliaceae), Ricinodendron heudelotii (Euphorbiaceae), Gnetum bucholzianum (Gnetaceae), and Ipomoea batatas (Convolvulaceae)". Journal of Nanomaterials. 2017: 1–6. doi: 10.1155/2017/6834726 .