Lannea edulis is a small deciduous shrub that commonly occurs in East and Southern Africa, it belongs to the Anacardiaceae family.
| Lannea edulis | |
|---|---|
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Scientific classification 
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| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Eudicots |
| Clade: | Rosids |
| Order: | Sapindales |
| Family: | Anacardiaceae |
| Genus: | Lannea |
| Species: | L. edulis
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| Binomial name | |
| Lannea edulis (Sond.) Engl.
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| Synonyms[1] | |
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Description
editIt has leafy branches produced from underground rootstock (sub-shrub). Leaves are imparipinnately compound, with about 2-4 pairs of leaflets per pinnae; the leaf-blade is broadly ovate to oblong with a shiny and coriaceous surface, measuring about 9-20 cm long and 9-12 cm wide.[2][3] Flowers are small, yellowish to cream colored and are produced on spikes or panicles near the ground, typically appearing before the leaves. The fruit is a berry that turns scarlet-purple when ripe.[2]
Distribution
editThe species is endemic to parts of Angola, can also be found in East African countries like Tanzania and in Southern African.[4]
Uses
editRoot extracts are used in traditional medical practices by various communities; in Zambia it is used to treat problems associated with schistosomiasis, gonorrhea and diarrhea, in parts of South Africa, it is used to treat angina pectoris.[5]
Fruit is edible and eaten by locals.
References
edit- ^ "Lannea edulis". Global Biodiversity Information Facility. Retrieved 13 September 2021.
- ^ a b Schmidt, Ernst (2002). Trees and shrubs of Mpumalanga and Kruger National Park. Mervyn Lotter, Warren McCleland, John Burrow. Johannesburg: Jacana. p. 300. ISBN 1-919777-30-X. OCLC 51322213.
- ^ "Lannea edulis (Sond.) Engl. | Plants of the World Online | Kew Science". Plants of the World Online. Retrieved 2021-09-13.
- ^ Chidumayo, E.N. (2006). "Fitness implications of late bud break and time of burning in Lannea edulis (Sond.) Engl. (Anacardiaceae)". Flora - Morphology, Distribution, Functional Ecology of Plants. 201 (7): 588–594. doi:10.1016/j.flora.2005.10.008.
- ^ Banda, Michelo; Nyirenda, James; Muzandu, Kaampwe; Sijumbila, Gibson; Mudenda, Steward (2018). "Antihyperglycemic and Antihyperlipidemic Effects of Aqueous Extracts of Lannea edulis in Alloxan-Induced Diabetic Rats". Frontiers in Pharmacology. 9: 1099. doi:10.3389/fphar.2018.01099. ISSN 1663-9812. PMC 6172360. PMID 30323764.