Tarchonanthus camphoratus

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Camphor bush
Tarchonanthus camphoratus04.jpg
Foliage and flower heads at Nature's Valley in South Africa
Tarchonanthus littoralis CamphorTree South African Strandveld.jpg
Habit in the Strandveld, South Africa
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Asterids
Order: Asterales
Family: Asteraceae
Genus: Tarchonanthus
Species:
T. camphoratus
Binomial name
Tarchonanthus camphoratus
L.
Synonyms [2]
  • Tarchonanthus abyssinicusSch.Bip.
  • Tarchonanthus litakunensisDC.
  • Tarchonanthus procerusSalisb.

Tarchonanthus camphoratus (known as camphor bush for its scent, or leleshwa in Kenya), is a shrub or small tree which is widespread in Africa south of the Sahel, and in Yemen.

Contents

Description

The camphor bush can reach up to 6 meters in height. The twigs and younger stems are white-felted, as are the undersides of the leaves. The upper leaf surface is dark olive-green. Bruised leaves smell strongly of camphor. Tarchonanthus camphoratus is dioecious. Flowers are usually present from December to May (in South Africa), with cream coloured panicles on a discoid head. Male flowering heads have several flowers whilst the female has only a few. The fruit is a dense and woolly achene. [3]

Cultivation and uses

Tarchonanthus camphoratus wood is fragrant, close-grained, attractive, durable and rich in aromatic oils. It is used as wood fuel and a source of charcoal. [4] [5] It is also used as a traditional building material, in horticulture, and in tribal papermaking. Leleshwa is also a source of aromatic oils [6] [7] used as fragrances. Its leaves are used by the Maasai to scent their homes and persons.

Medicinal use

Tarchonanthus camphoratus is used as a traditional remedy for respiratory illnesses. [8] The species has wide range of local uses, including dental hygiene.

References

  1. ↑ Botanic Gardens Conservation International (BGCI).; IUCN SSC Global Tree Specialist Group. (2019). "Tarchonanthus camphoratus". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species . 2019 e.T149509508A149509510. doi: 10.2305/IUCN.UK.2019-2.RLTS.T149509508A149509510.en . Retrieved 10 December 2024.
  2. ↑ The Plant List: A Working List of All Plant Species , retrieved 1 July 2016
  3. ↑ Hilliard, O.M. Compositae in Natal. University of Natal Press, 1977. pp. 110-112.
  4. ↑ Young, T.P. & C. Francombe (1991). "Growth and yield estimates in natural stands of leleshwa (Tarchonanthus camphoratus)". Forest Ecology and Management. 41 (3–4): 309–321. doi:10.1016/0378-1127(91)90111-8.
  5. ↑ Kennedy, A.D. (1998). "Coppicing of Tarchonanthus camphoratus (Compositae) as a source of sustainable fuel-wood production: an example from Laikipia Plateau, Kenya". African Journal of Ecology. 36: 148–158. doi:10.1046/j.1365-2028.1998.00115.x.
  6. ↑ Mwangi, J.W.; Achola, K.J.; et al. (1994). "Volatile constituents of the essential oil of Tarchonanthus camphoratus L.". Journal of Essential Oil Research. 6: 183–185. doi:10.1080/10412905.1994.9698351.
  7. ↑ Bishay, D.W.; Attia, A.A. & Fayed, M.A. (2002). "Flavones and a quaternary alkaloid from Tarchonanthus camphoratus L.". Bull. Pharm. Sci. Assiut Univ. 25 (1): 1–6. doi:10.21608/bfsa.2002.65503.
  8. ↑ "Tarchonantus Camphoratus Herba", Google Docs.
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