Annickia polycarpa
| Annickia polycarpa | |
|---|---|
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Embryophytes |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Magnoliids |
| Order: | Magnoliales |
| Family: | Annonaceae |
| Genus: | Annickia |
| Species: | A. polycarpa |
| Binomial name | |
| Annickia polycarpa | |
| Synonyms[2] | |
| |
Annickia polycarpa is a species of flowering plant in the Annonaceae family. It is commonly known as African Yellow Wood. It is small to medium-sized tree found in evergreen forests of tropical West Africa and Cameroon.[2]
Description
[edit]Annickia polycarpa is a small to medium-sized tree capable of reaching 20 meters tall and 40 cm in diameter.[3][4] Bark is usually smooth and occasionally, somewhat rough, fairly thick, with fibrous inner bark, black to greenish in color.[4] Petiole is sparsely pubescent, 3–8 mm long; leaf-blade is oblong, elliptical or obovate in outline with a papery surface, 5–27 cm long and 4–8 cm wide, acuminate at the apex and rounded at the base, covered with stellate hairs below.[3] Solitary flowers on young shoots, pedicel is 0.9-1.9 cm long; sepal: three, triangular shaped, pubescent on the outside, inside is slightly pubescent, petals: yellow when fresh, elliptic in outline, up to 3 cm long.[3] Flowering season is between July and August.
Distribution
[edit]It grows in the Upper and Lower Guinean forests of west and west-central Africa, from Guinea to Cameroon. In Ivory Coast it grows as an understorey in dense forests.[5]
Chemistry
[edit]Bark extracts shows presence of quinolic and isoquinolic class of alkaloids; compounds extracted from leaves and bark of the species have been reported to contain corydaldine, aporphinoids, berberines and protoberberine groups of alkaloids, .[6]
Uses
[edit]Bark extracts are used by herbalists in traditional treatment of malaria related symptoms, ulcers and leprous spots.[6] Stem bark is used for constructing huts, and a yellow dye obtained from the species is used for dyeing cloths, mats and leather.[5][4][7]
References
[edit]- ↑ Cosiaux, A.; Couvreur, T.L.P.; Erkens, R.H.J. (2019). "Annickia polycarpa". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2019 e.T132513477A132513624. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2019-3.RLTS.T132513477A132513624.en. Retrieved 21 June 2026.
- 1 2 "Annickia polycarpa (DC.) Setten & Maas ex I.M.Turner". Plants of the World Online. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Retrieved 21 June 2026.
- 1 2 3 Versteegh, Corstiaen P. C.; Sosef, Marc S. M. (2007). "Revision of the African Genus Annickia (Annonaceae)". Systematics and Geography of Plants. 77 (1): 91–118. ISSN 1374-7886. JSTOR 20649730.
- 1 2 3 Timbers 2. R.H.M.J. Lemmens, D. Louppe. Wageningen: PROTA Foundation. 2012. ISBN 978-92-9081-495-5. OCLC 808216267.
{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: others (link) - 1 2 Yapi, Thierry Acafou; Ouattara, Zana Adama; Boti, Jean Brice; Tonzibo, Zanahi Félix; Paoli, Mathieu; Bighelli, Ange; Casanova, Joseph; Tomi, Félix (2018). "Composition and Chemical Variability of Enantia polycarpa Engl . & Diels Leaf Essential Oil from Côte d'Ivoire". Chemistry & Biodiversity. 15 (7) e1800061. doi:10.1002/cbdv.201800061. PMID 29754407. S2CID 21672436.
- 1 2 Anosa, George N.; Udegbunam, Rita I.; Okoro, Josephine O.; Okoroafor, Obianuju N. (2014-04-28). "In vivo antimalarial activities of Enantia polycarpa stem bark against Plasmodium berghei berghei in mice". Journal of Ethnopharmacology. 153 (2): 531–534. doi:10.1016/j.jep.2014.02.022. ISSN 0378-8741. PMID 24561382.
- ↑ Dalziel, J.M. (1926). "African Leather Dyes". Bulletin of Miscellaneous Information. 6 (6). Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew: 230. doi:10.2307/4118651. JSTOR 4118651.