Funtumia africana
| Funtumia africana | |
|---|---|
Scientific classification 
| |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Eudicots |
| Clade: | Asterids |
| Order: | Gentianales |
| Family: | Apocynaceae |
| Genus: | Funtumia |
| Species: | F. africana
|
| Binomial name | |
| Funtumia africana | |
Funtumia africana is a tree within the family Apocynaceae, it is one of two species within the genus Funtumia.
Description[edit]
Tree can grow up to 30 meters high but usually smaller, trunk is straight, cylindrical and may sometimes have buttress roots, smooth bark, greenish-brown to grey in colour with soft - light wood properties.[1] Leaves, simple, opposite arrangement, glabrous, leathery surface, petiole 3 - 15 mm. Leaf-blade, elliptical to ovate in outline, size, 5 x 32 cm long and 1.7 x 17 cm wide, acuminate apex, cuneate at the base; lamina coriaceous, 8 - 14 pairs of lateral veins. Creamy - yellow, fragrant flower, Fruits, grey - brown and usually fusiform shaped,[1]
Distribution[edit]
Occurs in the forest zones of Lower and Upper Guinea and southwards up to Mozambique.
Chemistry[edit]
Contain conanine, a group in a class of steroidal alkaloids.[2]
Traditional use[edit]
Latex used as an ingredient for arrow poison by the Guere people of Ivory Coast, latex extracts obtained from the species can be used to produce birdlime but useless as a rubber.[3] Other extracts from the species are used to treat burns and incontinence. Wood is used to produce cheap furniture.[4]
References[edit]
- ^ a b Omino, Elizabeth (2002). Apocynaceae (part 1). Rotterdam: Balkema. p. 86. ISBN 90-5809-409-X. OCLC 51341017.
- ^ Ramadwa, T.E.; Elgorashi, E.E.; McGaw, L.J.; Ahmed, A.S.; Eloff, J.N. (2017). "Antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory activity and cytotoxicity of Funtumia africana leaf extracts, fractions and the isolated methyl ursolate". South African Journal of Botany. 108: 126–131. doi:10.1016/j.sajb.2016.10.019.
- ^ Neuwinger, Hans Dieter (1996). African ethnobotany : poisons and drugs : chemistry, pharmacology, toxicology. London: Chapman & Hall. p. 109. ISBN 3-8261-0077-8. OCLC 34675903.
- ^ Ramadwa, Thanyani Emelton (2010). Isolation and characterization of antimicrobial compounds from Funtumia africana (Apocynaceae) leaf extracts (Dissertation thesis). University of Pretoria. hdl:2263/25559.