Funtumia africana
Funtumia africana is a tree within the Apocynaceae family, it is one of two species within the genus Funtumia.
| 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 (Benth.) Stapf | |
Description
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]
Chemistry
Contain conanine, a group in a class of steroidal alkaloids.[2]
Traditional use
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
- 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.