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Useful Tropical Plants

Brachylaena ramiflora

(DC.) Humbert

Asteraceae

+ Synonyms

Synchodendron ramiflorum DC.

Vernonia piptocarphoides Baker

Common Name:

Brachylaena ramiflora
Flowering stem
Photograph by: Patrice Antilahimena
Creative Commons License
Brachylaena ramiflora Brachylaena ramiflora Brachylaena ramiflora

General Information

Brachylaena ramiflora is a semi-deciduous, small to medium-sized tree growing up to 20 metres tall. The bole is unbuttressed, it can be free of branches for up to 10 metres, and up to 60cm (occasionally to 140cm) in diameter[
299
Title
Protabase - Plant Resources of Tropical Africa.
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://www.prota.org
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
An excellent on-line database with detailed information on over 3,200 species of useful plants of Africa.
].
The tree is harvested from the wild and used locally as a source of timber and medicines.

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

455
Title
Flore de Madagascar et des Comores
Publication
 
Author
Humbert H.
Website
http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/
Publisher
Museum National D'Histoire Naturelle; Paris
Year
1946 - 1984
ISBN
 
Description
Written in French, an excellent flora of the area though it has not been completed. Available for download from the Internet.

Range

Africa - Madagascar.

Habitat

Rainforests at elevations up to 2,000 metres, sometimes persisting in secondary vegetation[
299
Title
Protabase - Plant Resources of Tropical Africa.
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://www.prota.org
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
An excellent on-line database with detailed information on over 3,200 species of useful plants of Africa.
].

Properties

Medicinal Rating *  *
Other Uses Rating *  *
HabitSemi-deciduous Tree
Height15.00 m
Pollinators?Bees
Cultivation StatusWild

Cultivation Details



The plant may persist as isolated individuals in secondary vegetation because its corky bark gives it some resistance to fire and because after cutting coppice shoots may develop[
299
Title
Protabase - Plant Resources of Tropical Africa.
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://www.prota.org
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
An excellent on-line database with detailed information on over 3,200 species of useful plants of Africa.
].
A dioecious species, both male and female forms need to be grown if seed is required[
455
Title
Flore de Madagascar et des Comores
Publication
 
Author
Humbert H.
Website
http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/
Publisher
Museum National D'Histoire Naturelle; Paris
Year
1946 - 1984
ISBN
 
Description
Written in French, an excellent flora of the area though it has not been completed. Available for download from the Internet.
].

Edible Uses

None known

Medicinal

In traditional medicine, decoctions of the leaves, and sometimes the bark, are used in the treatment of a range of conditions including malaria; digestive disorders such as stomach-ache and constipation; blennorrhoea; arterial diseases; coughs and colds. The leaves are also sometimes used as a vermifuge, and are combined with other plants to treat diabetes[
299
Title
Protabase - Plant Resources of Tropical Africa.
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://www.prota.org
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
An excellent on-line database with detailed information on over 3,200 species of useful plants of Africa.
].
Leaf decoctions are considered to have stimulant and aphrodisiac properties[
299
Title
Protabase - Plant Resources of Tropical Africa.
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://www.prota.org
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
An excellent on-line database with detailed information on over 3,200 species of useful plants of Africa.
]

The wood is used in the treatment of epilepsy[
299
Title
Protabase - Plant Resources of Tropical Africa.
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://www.prota.org
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
An excellent on-line database with detailed information on over 3,200 species of useful plants of Africa.
].

Leaf extracts have shown pronounced in-vitro activity against the malaria-causing protozoa Plasmodium falciparum. Onopordopicrine 3 has been isolated as active compound. This compound has also shown cytotoxic, antibacterial and antifungal activities[
299
Title
Protabase - Plant Resources of Tropical Africa.
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://www.prota.org
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
An excellent on-line database with detailed information on over 3,200 species of useful plants of Africa.
].
An ethanol extract of the leaves has shown anti-ulcer activity. In tests the extracts were not distinctly toxic[
299
Title
Protabase - Plant Resources of Tropical Africa.
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://www.prota.org
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
An excellent on-line database with detailed information on over 3,200 species of useful plants of Africa.
].
Several triterpenoids and 2 triterpene esters have been isolated from small twigs. All these compounds showed weak cytotoxicity against human ovarian cancer cell lines[
299
Title
Protabase - Plant Resources of Tropical Africa.
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://www.prota.org
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
An excellent on-line database with detailed information on over 3,200 species of useful plants of Africa.
].

Other Uses

The heartwood is golden-yellow to pale greenish brown, darkening upon exposure to yellowish brown; it is distinctly demarcated from the 4 - 6cm wide, whitish sapwood[
299
Title
Protabase - Plant Resources of Tropical Africa.
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://www.prota.org
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
An excellent on-line database with detailed information on over 3,200 species of useful plants of Africa.
]. The grain is straight to interlocked; the texture fine and even. The wood is heavy; hard but somewhat brittle and fissile; very durable, with an expected outdoor service life of 25 - 50 years; highly resistant to all insect and fungal attacks[
299
Title
Protabase - Plant Resources of Tropical Africa.
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://www.prota.org
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
An excellent on-line database with detailed information on over 3,200 species of useful plants of Africa.
]. It is difficult to saw and work; considerable power is needed, but the wood has only moderate blunting effect on cutting edges and saw teeth; it takes a fine polish; the finished surface is smooth and the use of a filler is unnecessary; pre-boring is needed for screwing and nailing is difficult because the wood splits easily[
299
Title
Protabase - Plant Resources of Tropical Africa.
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://www.prota.org
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
An excellent on-line database with detailed information on over 3,200 species of useful plants of Africa.
]. It has appropriate waxing and varnishing properties, but is difficult to glue and paint[
299
Title
Protabase - Plant Resources of Tropical Africa.
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://www.prota.org
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
An excellent on-line database with detailed information on over 3,200 species of useful plants of Africa.
]. The wood is mainly used for poles in house construction, piles for bridges, exterior carpentry, railway sleepers, fence posts, axles of carts, mortars and handles. It is suitable for ship building, vehicle bodies, sporting goods and musical instruments. It can be used for flooring, carving and turnery, but its tendency to splitting and the high shrinkage rates make it less suitable for these purposes[
299
Title
Protabase - Plant Resources of Tropical Africa.
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://www.prota.org
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
An excellent on-line database with detailed information on over 3,200 species of useful plants of Africa.
].

Propagation

Seed -
Cite as: Tropical Plants Database, Ken Fern. tropical.theferns.info. 2024-03-29. <tropical.theferns.info/viewtropical.php?id=Brachylaena%20ramiflora>

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