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Herbs & Plants (Spices)

Corynanthe pachyceras

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Botanical Name: Corynanthe pachyceras
Family: Rubiaceae
Subfamily: Cinchonoideae
Tribe: Naucleeae
Genus: Corynanthe
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Asterids
Order: Gentianales

Common Names: False Yohimbe
Habitat :Corynanthe pachyceras is native to West tropical AfricaSierra Leone to Central African Republic, south to Gabon and Zaire.It grows as an understorey tree in forests.
Description:
Corynanthe pachyceras is a tree with a low-branching spreading crown growing up to 21 metres tall. The bole is fluted and twisted, up to 2 metres in diameter. is native to The tree is gathered from the wild for local medicinal use.
The flowers are sweetly scented....CLICK TO SEE THE PICTURES

Propagation : Through seeds.

Medicinal Uses: 
The bark is said to have strong febrifuge properties. It is used internally used as a tea for feverish states and the common cold, and as an adjuvant for minor hypertension. It is claimed to be aphrodisiac and recommended for erectile dysfunction. In the Central African Republic, a macerate of the branch bark is drunk in palm wine as an aphrodisiac and as an agent for staying awake

Other Uses: The sap-wood is cream-coloured, the heart-wood reddish when fresh turning to yellow.

Disclaimer : The information presented herein is intended for educational purposes only. Individual results may vary, and before using any supplement, it is always advisable to consult with your own health care provider

Resources:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Corynanthe
http://tropical.theferns.info/viewtropical.php?id=Corynanthe+pachyceras

Categories
Herbs & Plants

Milicia excelsa

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Botanical Name :Milicia excelsa
Family: Moraceae
Genus: Milicia
Species: M. excelsa
Kingdom: Plantae
Order: Rosales

Synonyms: Chlorophora excelsa (Welw.) Benth., C. alba A. Chev., C. tenuifolia Engl., Maclura excelsa (Welw.) Bureau, Milicia africana Sim, Morus excelsa Welw.

Common Name:African Teak,ioko (Hausa); iroko (Yoruba); mvule (Swahili); rock-elm (Eng.);

Habitat :Milicia excelsa is native to Africa. It is found in Angola, Benin, Burundi, Cameroon, Central African Republic, the Republic of the Congo, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ivory Coast, Equatorial Guinea, Ethiopia, Gabon, Ghana, Kenya, Malawi, Mozambique, Nigeria, Rwanda, São Tomé and Príncipe, Sierra Leone, Sudan, Tanzania, Togo, Uganda, and Zimbabwe

Description:
A large deciduous forest  tree up to 50 m tall and with a diameter up to 10 m. The bole is straight and cylindrical, branch-less up to 20 m or more. Bark is dark, fairly rough and fl aking off in small scales but rarely fi ssured. When cut, the slash exudes white latex. The crown is um- brella-shaped and fairly fl at at the top. Leaves simple and alternate, 10-20 cm long. Young leaves are vel- vety and with serrate margins while older leaves are glabrous and have entire margins.
The species is dioecious and male and female trees are slightly different in appearance, male trees having longer and more slender trunk and crown and forking being more common in male than in female trees. Flowers are born in single spikes; male fl owers white, closely crowded in a slender, pendulous catkin up to 20 cm long; females greenish, in a shorter and wider spike that looks hairy from the projecting styles.

CLICK &  SEE  THE  PICTURES
The fruit is a syncarp, i.e. the entire female in-fl orescence forms one aggregate structure consisting of small nutlets surrounded by the fl eshy perianth. The fruit is green, 5-7.5 cm long, 2.5 cm thick, wrin-kled and fl eshy and resembling a fat green caterpillar.

 

There are about 70 seeds per fruit. Seeds are small and light brown, about 1.5 mm long and 1.0 mm wide. It is thinner at the scar end and has a thin seed coat.

Medicinal Uses:
The bark, its ashes, the leaves, and the latex are all Used in local medicine. The latex is used to reduce tumours and obstructions of the throat and for stomach problems. The bark is used to treat coughs, dysentery, heart problems, and general tiredness.Baka Pygmies use the leaves for lactation failure.

Other Uses:
The high quality timber is often used as a teak substitute. It is of significant commercial value and commands high prices internationally. Locally it is Used for furniture, boat building, and general purpose building timber. It resists termites well.

It is often used as a shade tree and along streets as an ornamental. Its leaves are used as mulch and it is also nitrogen fixing.

Disclaimer : The information presented herein is intended for educational purposes only. Individual results may vary, and before using any supplements, it is always advisable to consult with your own health care provider

Resources:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Milicia_excelsa

Click to access milicia_excelsa_63_int_001.pdf

http://www.mpingoconservation.org/tax_milicia.html
http://www.herbnet.com/Herb%20Uses_IJK.htm
http://www.fao.org/docrep/X5327e/x5327e1b.htm

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Herbs & Plants

Alchornea floribunda

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Botanical Name :Alchornea floribunda
Family: Euphorbiaceae
Subfamily: Acalyphoideae
Tribe: Alchorneae
Genus: Alchornea
Species: A. floribunda
Kingdom: Plantae
Order: Malpighiales

Common Names:Niando,Iporuru, Iporoni, Macochihua,Christmas Bush, Tekei, Agyama, Mbom, Diangba, Alan, Elando, Mulolongu, Kai, Sumara Fida

Habitat :Alchornea floribunda is  native to Sudan, Uganda, Cameroon, Central African Republic, the Republic of Congo, Equatorial Guinea (incl. Bioko), Gabon, São Tomé and Príncipe, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Côte d’Ivoire, Ghana, Guinea, Liberia, Nigeria and Sierra Leone.

Description:
Alchornea floribunda is a small evergreen tree that grows up to 10 meters in height.  The flowers are dark red, and the fruit are capsules that are smooth, hairy and ranging from green to red in color. Each fruit contains two  bright red seeds. A. floribunda is found growing primarily in forest undergrowth in Africa.  It may be propagated through seed or stem cuttings and needs very moist soil…….CLICK & SEE  THE PICTURES

You may click to see : pictures of Alchornea floribunda plant.

TRADITIONAL USES: Members of the Byeri group of the Fang in Gabon, a precursor to today’s Bwiti tribe, are said to have once consumed large amount of the root of A. floribunda, which they called alan, as part of initiation rituals.  It is said that the effects are weaker and not as long lasting as those of iboga (Tabernanthe iboga), the entheogen which they now use most commonly in these rituals. During this initiation ritual, the initiate would be shown the skulls of his or her ancestors, and the alan root was said to help them to communicate with the spirits of these dead invidivuals.  A. floribunda is still used today by the Byeri alongside iboga, and on its own as an aphrodisiac.

The related species A. laxiflora is used by the Yoruba people of Nigeria to deflect negative magical attacks back to the originator.  In Peru, A. castaneifolia has been used as an ayahuasca additive and a treatment for rheumatism by many different tribes.

TRADITIONAL PREPARATION: In order to enjoy the aphrodisiac effects of A. floribunda, the Bwiti macerate the root cortex and steep it in palm wine for several days.  The root is also sometimes combined with iboga to potentiate the effects of both plants.  The root bark may also be sun-dried and powdered, then mixed with food and consumed prior to a ritual or a battle to give strength.

MEDICINAL USE:
The plant has psychedelic and aphrodisiac properties. The powdered rootbark is used for traditional medicine.Indigenous Amazonian peoples and Venezuelan’s use the Iporuru roots for everything from treating arthritis to an aphrodisiac to an added ingredient for making Ayahuasca.

The leaves of A. floribunda are sometimes eaten in the Congo as an antidote for poison, and the leaf or root sap is applied to the skin to treat irritation and wounds.

In the Ivory Coast, the leaves of A. cordifolia are consumed internally and used in baths as a sedative and antispasmodic.  The root bark and leaves are commonly used treat parasites, venereal diseases, ulcers, and many other ailments.  The leaves may also be chewed to relieve mouth ulcers.  In Nigeria, a decoction of the fruit is taken by women to prevent miscarriage and to treat other reproductive troubles.

TRADITIONAL EFFECTS: Consumption of A. floribunda is said to produce intense excitement and incredible ecstasy.  This is followed several hours later by depression, vertigo and eventual collapse.  At this point in the experience, the Bwiti believe that the soul is able to journey to the land of the ancestors and to communicate with them.  A. floribunda has been known to cause overdose and death in certain situations, which is perhaps why it is no longer commonly used as an entheogen, even by the Bwiti.

Several species of Alchornea, including A. cordifolia and A. hirtella have been found to contain numerous alkaloids, including possibly yohimbine.  When a decoction of powdered A. floribunda was given to dogs, it was found to increase the sensitivity of the sympathetic nervous system to epinephrine.

Disclaimer:
The information presented herein is intended for educational purposes only. Individual results may vary, and before using any supplements, it is always advisable to consult with your own health care provider.

Resources:

Alchornea floribunda – Alan Root


http://www.ktbotanicals.com/alchornea-floribunda-iporuru-iporoni-macochihua-niando-p-2.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alchornea_floribunda

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