Ochna schweinfurthiana is a shrub or small tree belonging to the family Ochnaceae.[1] It is represented in open deciduous woodlands in Tropical Africa.
| Ochna schweinfurthiana | |
|---|---|
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Scientific classification 
| |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Eudicots |
| Clade: | Rosids |
| Order: | Malpighiales |
| Family: | Ochnaceae |
| Genus: | Ochna |
| Species: | O. schweinfurthiana
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| Binomial name | |
| Ochna schweinfurthiana F.Hoffm.
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Description
editA scandent shrub or an evergreen tree, Ochna schweinfurthiana can grow up to 4 m tall and occasionally up to 8 m.[2] It has a greyish bark that is often fissured with a slash that is yellow turning red-brown. Leaves have stipules that can reach 3 mm in length and petioles that is capable of reaching 12 mm long.[2] Leaflets are obovate to lanceolate in shape, they can reach 13 cm in length and 6 cm in width, they often have margins that are toothed and have a leathery surface; the apex tends to be rounded while the base is cuneate to tapering.[2] Inflorescence has a raceme arrangement and pedunculate with flowers borne on leaf axil, it bears bright yellow flowers that are caducous, meaning short lived.[1]
Distribution and habitat
editOccurs in Tropical Africa from Guinea and Mali, eastwards to Sudan and Southwards to Zimbabwe. Found in woodlands[2]
Uses
editThe species is cultivated as an ornamental plant partly due to its bright yellow flowers.[3]
In Northern Cameroon, native healers pound the stem bark of the species to treat malaria fever while root, leaves and stem bark extracts are used in decoctions to aid the wound healing process.[1]
References
edit- ^ a b c Ndongo, Joseph T.; Issa, Mark E.; Messi, Angelique N.; Ngo Mbing, Joséphine; Cuendet, Muriel; Pegnyemb, Dieudonné E.; Bochet, Christian G. (2015-09-02). "Cytotoxic flavonoids and other constituents from the stem bark of Ochna schweinfurthiana". Natural Product Research. 29 (17): 1684–1687. doi:10.1080/14786419.2014.991321. ISSN 1478-6419.
- ^ a b c d Arbonnier, Michel; Arbonnier, Michel (2004). Trees, shrubs and lianas of West African dry zones. CIRAD. Weikersheim: Margraf Publ. [u.a.] p. 428. ISBN 978-2-87614-579-5.
- ^ Bandi, Anil Kumar Reddy; Lee, Dong‐Ung; Tih, Raphaël Ghogomu; Gunasekar, Duvvuru; Bodo, Bernard (2012). "Phytochemical and Biological Studies of Ochna Species". Chemistry & Biodiversity. 9 (2): 251–271. doi:10.1002/cbdv.201100164. ISSN 1612-1872.
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