Voacanga thouarsii

Voacanga thouarsii
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae
(unranked): Angiosperms
(unranked): Eudicots
(unranked): Asterids
Order: Gentianales
Family: Apocynaceae
Subfamily: Rauvolfioideae
Tribe: Tabernaemontaneae
Genus: Voacanga
Species: V. thouarsii
Binomial name
Voacanga thouarsii
Roem. & Schult.
Synonyms[1]
  • Annularia natalensis Hochst.
  • Cyclostigma natalense (Hochst.) Hochst.
  • Orchipeda dregei (E.Mey.) DC.
  • Orchipeda thouarsii (Roem. & Schult.) Baron
  • Piptolaena dregei (E.Mey.) A.DC.
  • Voacanga dregei E.Mey.
  • Voacanga obtusa K.Schum

Voacanga thouarsii grows as a small tree up to 20 metres (66 ft) high, with a trunk diameter of up to 80 centimetres (31 in). Its fragrant flowers feature a pale green, creamy or white corolla. Fruit is dark green spotted with paired follicles, each up to 10 centimetres (3.9 in) long. Vernacular names include "wild frangipani". Habitat is forest and savanna from sea-level to 600 metres (2,000 ft) altitude. Its numerous local medicinal uses include as a treatment for wounds, sores, gonorrhoea, eczema, heart problems, hypertension, rheumatism, stomach-ache and snakebite.[2] V. thouarsii is found in Senegal, the Gambia, Guinea-Bissau, Guinea, Mali, Sierra Leone, Liberia, Burkina Faso, Ivory Coast, Ghana, Nigeria, Sudan, Cameroon, the Central African Republic, the Republic of Congo, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Uganda, Kenya, Tanzania, Angola, Malawi, Mozambique, Zambia, Zimbabwe, South Africa and Madagascar.[3]

References

  1. "Voacanga thouarsii". The Plant List. Retrieved 20 August 2013.
  2. Medicinal Plants. PROTA. 2008. pp. 627629. ISBN 978-9-05782-204-9.
  3. Search for "Voacanga thouarsii", World Checklist of Selected Plant Families, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, retrieved 20 August 2013
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