Strombosia grandifolia | |
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Scientific classification | |
Kingdom: | Plantae |
Clade: | Tracheophytes |
Clade: | Angiosperms |
Clade: | Eudicots |
Order: | Santalales |
Family: | Olacaceae |
Genus: | Strombosia |
Species: | S. grandifolia |
Binomial name | |
Strombosia grandifolia | |
Synonyms [1] | |
Strombosia grandifolia is an understorey tree native to West and Central Africa belonging to the family Olacaceae.
A medium-sized tree that is capable of reaching 25 metres (82 ft) in height, it has a short trunk that is up 6 metres (20 ft) high and a diameter that is up to 60 centimetres (24 in). [2] The crown is wide spreading while the bark is greyish to brown in colour, [3] [4] and a slash that is reddish brown. Leaves have petioles that can reach 3 centimetres (1.2 in) long, they tend to have a shiny upper surface and are dark to pale green in colour. Leaflets are ovate, oblong or elliptic in shape, up to 30 centimetres (12 in) long and 16 metres (52 ft) wide, its base is cuneate to obtuse while top is acute to acuminate while edges are curved. [3] Flowers are arranged in axillary fascicles, up to 30 bunched together, and creamy or greenish in colour. [2]
The geographical range of Strombosia grandifolia is the eastern parts of West Africa to Central Africa, from the Republic of Benin to the Democratic Republic of Congo. [1] It is commonly found in evergreen forests in lowlands and also in transitional zones between lowland vegetation to afromontane vegetations. [5]
In traditional medicine, stem bark extracts are used in the treatments of various ailments that includes skin infections, abdominal pains and cough. [6]
The Afromontane regions are subregions of the Afrotropical realm, one of the Earth's eight biogeographic realms, covering the plant and animal species found in the mountains of Africa and the southern Arabian Peninsula. The Afromontane regions of Africa are discontinuous, separated from each other by lower-lying areas, and are sometimes referred to as the Afromontane archipelago, as their distribution is analogous to a series of sky islands.
Lophira alata, commonly known as azobé, ekki or thered ironwood tree, is a species of plant in the family Ochnaceae. It is found in Cameroon, the Republic of the Congo, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ivory Coast, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Ghana, Liberia, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, Sudan, and Uganda. Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests. It is threatened by habitat loss.
Cordia myxa, the Assyrian plum, is a mid-sized, deciduous tree in the borage family (Boraginaceae), native to Asia. It produces small, edible fruit and is found in warmer areas across Africa and Asia. Other common names in various languages include lasura, leswa,laveda, pidar, panugeri, naruvilli, geduri, spistan, burgund dulu wanan '"Iriki Chettu (Telugu) and ntege.
Corynanthe johimbe, synonym Pausinystalia johimbe, common name yohimbe, is a plant species in the family Rubiaceae native to western and central Africa. Extracts from yohimbe have been used in traditional medicine in West Africa as an aphrodisiac, called in some languages burantashi, and have been marketed in developed countries as dietary supplements.
Margaritaria discoidea is a tree in the family Phyllanthaceae, commonly known as the pheasant-berry, egossa red pear or bushveld peacock-berry. These trees are native to the warmer, higher rainfall areas of Africa.
Parinari excelsa, the Guinea plum, is a species of large, evergreen tree in the family Chrysobalanaceae. It has a very wide distribution in tropical Africa and the Americas. This species grows to 50 m (160 ft) tall while the trunk is up to 1.5 m (5 ft) in diameter.
Ficus ingens, the red-leaved fig, is a fig species with an extensive range in the subtropical to dry tropical regions of Africa and southern Arabia. Despite its specific name, which means "huge", or "vast", it is usually a shrub or tree of modest proportions. It is a fig of variable habit depending on the local climate and substrate, typically a stunted subshrub on elevated rocky ridges, or potentially a large tree on warmer plains and lowlands. In 1829 the missionary Robert Moffat found a rare giant specimen, into which seventeen thatch huts of a native tribe were placed, so as to be out of reach of lions.
Strombosia ceylanica is a tree in the family Olacaceae. The specific epithet ceylanica is from the Latin meaning "of Ceylon".
Strombosia pustulata is a species of tree in the family Olacaceae. It is native to the rainforests of tropical West and Central Africa. Common names for this tree include itako in Nigeria, afina in Ghana, poé in Abé spoken in Côte d'Ivoire and mba esogo in Equatorial Guinea.
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.
Lophira lanceolata, commonly known as the dwarf red ironwood, is a species of tree in the family Ochnaceae which is native to tropical West and Central Africa. The timber is used for heavy construction, an edible oil can be extracted from the seeds and various parts of the plant are used in traditional medicine.
Daniellia oliveri is a species of tree in the family Fabaceae. It is native to tropical West and Central Africa and is commonly known as the African copaiba balsam tree, or the West African copal tree.
Aningeria adolfi-friederici is a species of plant in the family Sapotaceae, a tall, tropical forest tree. It is found in Burundi, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ethiopia, Kenya, Malawi, Rwanda, Sudan, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia and Zimbabwe. The specific name adolfi-friedericii was given in honour of Duke Adolf Friedrich of Mecklenburg, a German explorer in Africa. Its trade name muna is taken from Gĩkũyũ mũna.
Parkia bicolor, the African locust-bean, is a species of flowering plant, a tree in the family Fabaceae. It is native to tropical West and Central Africa. Its natural habitats are tropical moist lowland forests, swampland, woodland and savannah.
Osodendron altissimum, formerly known as Albizia altissima, is a low branching tree within the Fabaceae family, it grows along river banks in the Lower and Upper Guinean and Congolian forests of west and central Africa.
Gambeya africana is a medium-sized species of tree in the family Sapotaceae. Along with the closely related species Gambeya albida, it is sometimes known as African star apple. Both species have similar leaf indumentum and are widespread in the Lower and Upper Guinea forest mosaic.
Strombosia scheffleri is a medium-sized tree that is native to Tropical Africa, the species is sometimes planted as a shade tree in coffee and cocoa plantations. It belongs to the family Olacaceae.
Brachystegia leonensis is a medium to tall sized tree occurring in the rain forests of West Africa, belonging to the family Fabaceae. It is one of three species within the genus Brachystegia that is represented in West Africa. It is morphologically close to Brachystegia kennedyi, a species occurring in Nigeria.
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 harveyi is a deciduous tree belonging to the family Fabaceae, it is distributed in eastern and southern Africa and quite similar in appearance to Albizia amara.