Myrianthus arboreus | |
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Scientific classification | |
Kingdom: | Plantae |
Clade: | Tracheophytes |
Clade: | Angiosperms |
Clade: | Eudicots |
Clade: | Rosids |
Order: | Rosales |
Family: | Urticaceae |
Genus: | Myrianthus |
Species: | M. arboreus |
Binomial name | |
Myrianthus arboreus P. Beauv. 1804 | |
Myrianthus arboreus, the giant yellow mulberry or monkey fruit or Nyankama , in the Akan twi language of Ghana, is a dioecious tropical tree in the genus Myrianthus . It lives in the tropical Central African countries of Central African Republic, Gabon, Cameroon, Nigeria, and Tanzania, and also Ghana in the West African countries. [1] Its chromosome count is 2n = 28. [2]
it is locally known as ‘nyankama’ among the Asante people of Ghana, and 'ekanhou' in Eastern Gabon.
The species grows as a shrub or small tree that can reach an height of 10 m and occasionally taller. The bark is greyish to green while the slash is white. [3] Leaves are arranged in a spiral form and are often palmately compound, stipules are long (3 - 5 cm) and commonly covered in hairs. The outline of the leaflet lanceolate with a serrate to dentate margin, leaflets can reach up to 65 cm long and 22 cm wide. [3] The infructescences is up to 15 cm in diameter, the fruit drupe like in shape, yellow to orange-red in color, the endocarp is up to 1.7 cm long and 0.8 cm wide.
The species occurs in Tropical Africa, from Guinea eastwards to the Sudan and southwards to Tanzania. Commonly found in lowland forest environments. [3]
Chemical compounds isolated from extracts of the species includes a few ursane type triterpenoids, tormentic, myrianthic and euscaphic acids and flavanols: epicatechin and dulcisflavan. [4] [5]
The seeds of M. arboreus are eaten cooked; the leaves are made into a vegetable soup called ofe ujuju, [6] or used as livestock feed. [7]
Stem bark and leaf extracts are prepared as part of a decoction used in pain management and in the treatment of diabetes, [8] dysentery, wounds and infections. [9]
Alstonia scholaris, commonly called blackboard tree, scholar tree, milkwood or devil's tree in English, is an evergreen tropical tree in the dogbane family (Apocynaceae). It is native to southern China, tropical Asia and Australasia, where it is a common ornamental plant. It is a toxic plant, but is used traditionally for myriad diseases and complaints. It is called 'Saptaparna' in India and is the sacred tree of the 2nd Jain tirthankar Ajitnatha.
Allanblackia floribunda, known in English as 'tallow tree', is a species of flowering plant in the family Clusiaceae that has been long used in traditional African medicine to treat hypertension. It is a common understory tree in rainforests in western central Africa - from Sierra Leone to western Cameroon, and on into the Democratic Republic of Congo and Uganda. The medium-sized tree is evergreen and dioecious. The wood is said to be resistant to termites but is not particularly durable. It is fairly easy to work and finishes well but it is of little commercial importance though it has appeared on the market in Liberia as "lacewood".
Distemonanthus is a genus of flowering plants in the family Fabaceae. It belongs to the subfamily Dialioideae. It contains a single species, Distemonanthus benthamianus, a deciduous tree, which occurs widely but sparsely in the forest regions of Tropical West and Central Africa; it is sometimes confused with Pericopsis laxiflora due to similar morphological features.
Momordica foetida is a perennial climbing vine native of tropical Africa, closely related to the bitter melon and balsam apple. Its species name ("bad-smelling") refers to its unpleasant smell. It was previously named M. morkorra and M. cordata (Cogn.)
Newtonia hildebrandtii, the Lebombo wattle, is a medium-sized tree native to eastern Africa. It is a protected tree in South Africa.
Napoleonaea imperialis is a small, evergreen tropical West African tree in the family Lecythidaceae, native to Africa.
Maesa lanceolata, the false assegai, is a tree species that is widespread in the Afrotropics, including Madagascar. It occurs from the southern Arabian Peninsula, southwards to the Eastern Cape, South Africa. It grows on stream verges, river banks and forest verges, where it is often a pioneer plant.
Myrianthus is a genus of flowering plants in the nettle family (Urticaceae). They are mainly found in Tropical Africa. They are mostly tropical trees, shrubs, or lianas. Leaves are simple and pinnately veined or with a palmate structure. It is dioecious, with separate male and female plants.
Ploiarium is a genus of three species of woody plants in the family Bonnetiaceae. It is native to tropical forests and peat swamp forests in Southeast Asia including southern Indochina, Malay Peninsula, Sumatra, and Borneo. Species are generally slow growing with irregular flowering and fruiting cycles. Colonization of plants by arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi is known to improve growth and biomass.
Alstonia congensis, is a tree within the Apocynaceae family and one of two African species within the Alstonia genus, the other being the Alstonia boonei De Wild. Both have similar morphological characteristics.
Aganope stuhlmannii is a deciduous tree within the family Fabaceae. It is native to tropical Africa and grows in savanna woodlands.
Duguetia staudtii is a medium-sized evergreen tree within the Annonaceae family. Species is one of four within the genus Duguetia that is native to Africa.
Anthonotha macrophylla is a shrub to small understory tree within the family Fabaceae. It is endemic to the rain forest regions of West Africa and it is the most common of species within the Anthonotha genus in Africa.
Entandrophragma angolense, called the tiama, is a tree species with alternate, pinnately compound leaves that are clustered at the ends of branches. It is within the family Meliaceae and has a wide distribution area, occurring in moist semi-deciduous and evergreen forest regions of Tropical Africa from Sierra Leone to Uganda.
Senecio ruwenzoriensis is an African species of plant. While it is widely distributed, it seems to be highly localised in this range.
Myrianthus holstii is a plant species within the family Urticaceae. It grows either as a shrub or tree. It is considered a dioecious species but a monoecious tree has been observed.
Myrianthus serratus is a dioecious shrub or tree species in the family Urticaceae.
Pterocarpus mildbraedii is a semi-deciduous tree within the family Fabaceae. It is known as 'Oha' in Southeastern Nigeria and as 'Aguaya' in Ivory Coast.
Albizia glaberrima is a deciduous tree found in Tropical Africa, it belongs to the family Fabaceae. It is traded under the name 'white nongo' and it is well distributed in West, Central, East and parts of Southern Africa.
Albizia coriaria is a deciduous tree native to Tropical Africa belonging to the family Fabaceae, the root and stem bark are widely used in traditional medicine to treat a variety of diseases.