Landolphia heudelotii is a climbing shrub or liana that is within the Apocynaceae family, it occurs in the Guinea and Sudan savannahs of West Africa and cultivated for its rubber and edible fruit.
| Landolphia heudelotii | |
|---|---|
| |
Scientific classification 
| |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Eudicots |
| Clade: | Asterids |
| Order: | Gentianales |
| Family: | Apocynaceae |
| Genus: | Landolphia |
| Species: | L. heudelotii
|
| Binomial name | |
| Landolphia heudelotii A.DC.
| |
Description
editThe species grows up to 4-12 meters high, it has a beige to brownish colored bark with white exudate and lenticellate stems.[1] Leaves opposite with a pubescent surface; the leaf-blade is obovate to ovate in outline, 4-12 cm long and 3-4 cm wide with a rounded to cuneate base, apex is bluntly cuneate or acuminate, petiole between 0.2-0.5 cm long.[1][2] The inflorescence is terminal somewhat tendril-like with fragrant flowers; fruit, ellipsoid or pear shaped berries, 2-4 cm in diameter, they are usually in clusters of 2-6 and are orange when ripe.[1][2]
Distribution
editCommonly occurs across the wooded Sudan and Guinea savannahs of West Africa, often found near rocky soils.[1][2]
Chemistry
editFruits obtained from the species showed the presence of the compounds, meta-cresol, linalool and the isomer farnesene.[3]
Uses
editWood is used in local carpentry work and making tool handles and doors. A decoction is used to treat diarrhea or intestinal worms in cattle, goat and sheep.[4] Its latex was widely used in Senegal for rubber, and today, it is still used as a rubber substitute to repair bike tubes.[1]
References
edit- ^ a b c d e Arbonnier, Michel (2004). Trees, shrubs, and lianas of West African dry zones. Paris: CIRAD. p. 166. ISBN 2-87614-579-0. OCLC 56937881.
- ^ a b c The African species of Landolphia P. Beauv. : series of revisions of Apocynaceae XXXIV. J. G. M. Persoon. Wageningen, Netherlands: Wageningen Agricultural University. 1992. pp. 85–90. ISBN 90-6754-234-2. OCLC 31208098.
{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: others (link) - ^ Pélissier, Yves; Malan, Anglade; Mahmout, Yaya; Bessière, Jean-Marie (1996). "Fruit Volatiles of Landolphia senegalensis (DC.) Kotschy et Peyr. and L. heudelotii DC. (Apocynaceae)". Journal of Essential Oil Research. 8 (3): 299–301. doi:10.1080/10412905.1996.9700618. ISSN 1041-2905.
- ^ Koné, W.M.; Kamanzi Atindehou, K. (2008). "Ethnobotanical inventory of medicinal plants used in traditional veterinary medicine in Northern Côte d'Ivoire (West Africa)". South African Journal of Botany. 74 (1): 76–84. doi:10.1016/j.sajb.2007.08.015.