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Useful Tropical Plants

Schefflera abyssinica

(Hochst. ex A.Rich.) Harms

Araliaceae


Several recent phylogenetic studies have shown that Schefflera is clearly polyphyletic, and that the Asian species belong to a single, well-supported, morphologically coherent clade. The name Schefflera will ultimately have to be restricted to a small group of species from the SW Pacific, while the Asian species will have to be transferred to one or more other genera[
266
Title
Flora of China
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://flora.huh.harvard.edu/china/
Publisher
Missouri Botanical Garden Press; St. Louis.
Year
1994
ISBN
 
Description
An excellent, comprehensive resource in 25 volumes. In addition to the botanical information the flora also gives basic information on habitat and some uses. An on-line version is also available.
].

+ Synonyms

Aralia abyssinica Hochst. ex A.Rich.

Astropanax abyssinicum (Hochst. ex A.Rich.) Seem.

Astropanax elatus (K.Koch ex Hook.f.) Seem.

Heptapleurum abyssinicum (Hochst. ex A.Rich.) Benth. ex Vatke

Heptapleurum elatum (K.Koch ex Hook.f.) Hiern

Paratropia elata K.Koch ex Hook.f.

Schefflera acutifoliolata De Wild.

Schefflera hookeriana Harms

Sciodaphyllum abyssinicum (Hochst. ex A.Rich.) Miq.

Common Name:

Schefflera abyssinica
Close-up of the flowers
Photograph by: Mike and Zahra
Creative Commons License
Schefflera abyssinica Schefflera abyssinica

General Information

Schefflera abyssinica is a tree with a large, spreading crown that can usually grow up to about 12 metres tall when free-standing. It often starts life as an epiphyte in the branch of another tree and can then eventually send down roots that grow into the ground, providing extra nutriment and allowing it to grow more vigorously and out-compete the host tree - in such circumstances plants up to 30 metres tall have been recorded. The bole, even of terrestrial trees, is often twisted[
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.
,
328
Title
African Flowering Plants Database
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://www.ville-ge.ch/musinfo/bd/cjb/africa/recherche.php
Publisher
Conservatoire et Jardin Botaniques.
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
Contains information on over 150,000 plant names (including synonyms) giving a description and habitat, plus a distribution map.
].
The tree is sometimes harvested from the wild for local use as a medicine and source of wood. An attractive plant, it is sometimes grown as a living fence and as an ornamental[
364
Title
Field Guide to the Moist Forest Trees of Tanzania.
Publication
 
Author
Lovett J.C.; Ruffo C.K.; Gereau R.E.; Taplin J.R.D
Website
http://www.york.ac.uk/res/celp/webpages/projects/ecology/tree%20guide/introduction.htm
Publisher
Frontier
Year
0
ISBN
1-873070-33-0
Description
A lovely little book giving a basic identification guide to more than 650 species of trees growing in Tanzania. It is also available to view on the internet.
].

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

308
Title
Flora Zambesiaca
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://apps.kew.org/efloras/fz/intro.html
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
An excellent online flora of plants from the Zambezi River basin. It lists a number of the plant uses as well as the habitats and botanical descriptions of the plants.

Range

Tropical Africa - Nigeria, Cameroon, DR Congo, Sudan, Ethiopia, Somalia, Uganda, Kenya, Burundi, Tanzania, Malawi, Zambia.

Habitat

Mountain rainforest, often in secondary formations; gallery forest; transition to grassland; usually at elevations from 1,400 - 2,800 metres, but occasionally descending to 1,200 metres[
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.
,
328
Title
African Flowering Plants Database
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://www.ville-ge.ch/musinfo/bd/cjb/africa/recherche.php
Publisher
Conservatoire et Jardin Botaniques.
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
Contains information on over 150,000 plant names (including synonyms) giving a description and habitat, plus a distribution map.
].

Properties

Medicinal Rating *  *
Other Uses Rating *  *
HabitTree
Height10.00 m
PollinatorsBees, Insects
Cultivation StatusOrnamental, Wild

Cultivation Details

Not known

Edible Uses

None known

Medicinal

The leaves and young shoots are pounded and used as medicine for small pox[
364
Title
Field Guide to the Moist Forest Trees of Tanzania.
Publication
 
Author
Lovett J.C.; Ruffo C.K.; Gereau R.E.; Taplin J.R.D
Website
http://www.york.ac.uk/res/celp/webpages/projects/ecology/tree%20guide/introduction.htm
Publisher
Frontier
Year
0
ISBN
1-873070-33-0
Description
A lovely little book giving a basic identification guide to more than 650 species of trees growing in Tanzania. It is also available to view on the internet.
].

Some triterpene saponins have been isolated from the leaves[
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.
].

Agroforestry Uses:

The plant is used as a living fence[
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 flowers are a good source of nectar and pollen for bees[
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 yellowish brown; it is indistinctly demarcated from the sapwood. The texture is coarse. The wood is light in weight, soft and easy to work. It is used for furniture, boxes, water pots and agricultural implements. It is suitable for the inner layers of plywood[
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.
,
364
Title
Field Guide to the Moist Forest Trees of Tanzania.
Publication
 
Author
Lovett J.C.; Ruffo C.K.; Gereau R.E.; Taplin J.R.D
Website
http://www.york.ac.uk/res/celp/webpages/projects/ecology/tree%20guide/introduction.htm
Publisher
Frontier
Year
0
ISBN
1-873070-33-0
Description
A lovely little book giving a basic identification guide to more than 650 species of trees growing in Tanzania. It is also available to view on the internet.
].
The wood is occasionally used for fuel[
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 - it does not require pre-treatment, and usually starts to germinate within 2 weeks of sowing[
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.
].
Cuttings - taken at the end of the rainy season[
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.
].
Cite as: Tropical Plants Database, Ken Fern. tropical.theferns.info. 2024-03-28. <tropical.theferns.info/viewtropical.php?id=Schefflera+abyssinica>

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