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Useful Tropical Plants

Strychnos madagascariensis

Poir.

Loganiaceae

+ Synonyms

Strychnos baronii Baker

Strychnos behrensiana Gilg & Busse

Strychnos burtonii Baker

Strychnos dysophylla Benth.

Strychnos engleri Gilg

Strychnos gerrardii N.E. Br.

Strychnos innocua burtonii (Baker) E.A. Bruce & J. Lewis

Strychnos innocua dysophylla (Benth.) I. Verd.

Strychnos innocua gerrardii (N.E. Br.) I. Verd.

Strychnos leiocarpa Gilg & Busse

Strychnos melonicarpa Gilg & Busse

Strychnos mocquerysii Aug. DC.

Strychnos pachphylla Gilg & Busse

Strychnos polyphylla Gilg & Busse

Strychnos quaqua Gilg

Strychnos randiaeformis Baill.

Strychnos stenoneura Gilg & Busse

Strychnos unguacha micrantha Gilg

Strychnos unguacha dysophylla (Benth.) Gilg

Strychnos vacacoua Baill.

Strychnos wakefieldii Baker

Common Name:

Strychnos madagascariensis
Fruiting branch
Photograph by: Peter B. Phillipson
Creative Commons License
Strychnos madagascariensis Strychnos madagascariensis Strychnos madagascariensis

General Information

Strychnos madagascariensis is an often many-stemmed and much-branched deciduous shrub or small tree with a spreading, irregular, angular canopy; it can usually grow from 1ยท5 - 10 metres tall, occasionally to 20 metres[
295
Title
PlantZAfrica.com
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://www.plantzafrica.com
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
An excellent site giving detailed descriptions and uses of many S. African plants.
,
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.
]. The bole, which can be 7 - 60cm in diameter, is usually branched from low down[
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.
].
The plant is harvested from the wild for local use as a food and medicine. The fruit is sold in local markets[
398
Title
Edible Wild Plants of Tanzania
Publication
 
Author
Ruffo, C.K.: Birnie, A. & Tengnas, B.
Publisher
Regional Land Management Unit; Nairobi.
Year
2002
ISBN
9966-896-60-0
Description
A very well presented, simple guide to growing and utilizing wild food plants in Tanzania, with line drawings of each plant, a description, habitat and range, non-food as well as food uses, plus basic information on growing the plants.
].

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.
,
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

Eastern and southern Africa - Tanzania, Zambia, Malawi, Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Botswana, Swaziland, S. Africa, Madagascar.

Habitat

Gallery and coastal forests[
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.
]. Deciduous bushland and woodland at elevations from sea level to around 1, 500 metres[
398
Title
Edible Wild Plants of Tanzania
Publication
 
Author
Ruffo, C.K.: Birnie, A. & Tengnas, B.
Publisher
Regional Land Management Unit; Nairobi.
Year
2002
ISBN
9966-896-60-0
Description
A very well presented, simple guide to growing and utilizing wild food plants in Tanzania, with line drawings of each plant, a description, habitat and range, non-food as well as food uses, plus basic information on growing the plants.
].

Properties

Edibility Rating *  *  *
Medicinal Rating *  *
Other Uses Rating *  *
HabitDeciduous Tree
Height8.00 m
Growth RateMedium
Cultivation StatusWild

Cultivation Details

A plant of the tropics to the subtropics, where it can be found at elevations up to 1,500 metres. The plant cannot tolerate frost[
295
Title
PlantZAfrica.com
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://www.plantzafrica.com
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
An excellent site giving detailed descriptions and uses of many S. African plants.
].
Plants grow wild in sandy or well-drained rocky soils[
295
Title
PlantZAfrica.com
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://www.plantzafrica.com
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
An excellent site giving detailed descriptions and uses of many S. African plants.
].
Trees grow fairly fast from seed[
295
Title
PlantZAfrica.com
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://www.plantzafrica.com
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
An excellent site giving detailed descriptions and uses of many S. African plants.
].
Plants can flower and fruit all year round[
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

Fruit - raw[
295
Title
PlantZAfrica.com
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://www.plantzafrica.com
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
An excellent site giving detailed descriptions and uses of many S. African plants.
,
301
Title
Cornucopia II
Publication
 
Author
Facciola. S.
Publisher
Kampong Publications, California.
Year
1998
ISBN
0-9628087-2-5
Description
The second edition of an excellent guide to the edible uses of plants, though it does not give any details of cultivation etc.
,
398
Title
Edible Wild Plants of Tanzania
Publication
 
Author
Ruffo, C.K.: Birnie, A. & Tengnas, B.
Publisher
Regional Land Management Unit; Nairobi.
Year
2002
ISBN
9966-896-60-0
Description
A very well presented, simple guide to growing and utilizing wild food plants in Tanzania, with line drawings of each plant, a description, habitat and range, non-food as well as food uses, plus basic information on growing the plants.
]. The orange pulp is somewhat slimy[
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.
]. A refreshing, acidulous flavour[
301
Title
Cornucopia II
Publication
 
Author
Facciola. S.
Publisher
Kampong Publications, California.
Year
1998
ISBN
0-9628087-2-5
Description
The second edition of an excellent guide to the edible uses of plants, though it does not give any details of cultivation etc.
]. They can be made into drinks[
301
Title
Cornucopia II
Publication
 
Author
Facciola. S.
Publisher
Kampong Publications, California.
Year
1998
ISBN
0-9628087-2-5
Description
The second edition of an excellent guide to the edible uses of plants, though it does not give any details of cultivation etc.
]. The dried fruits have an apricot-like flavour, they are mixed with honey to make a popular food[
301
Title
Cornucopia II
Publication
 
Author
Facciola. S.
Publisher
Kampong Publications, California.
Year
1998
ISBN
0-9628087-2-5
Description
The second edition of an excellent guide to the edible uses of plants, though it does not give any details of cultivation etc.
]. The dried fruits can also be ground into a fine powder and used for making porridge[
301
Title
Cornucopia II
Publication
 
Author
Facciola. S.
Publisher
Kampong Publications, California.
Year
1998
ISBN
0-9628087-2-5
Description
The second edition of an excellent guide to the edible uses of plants, though it does not give any details of cultivation etc.
]. The globose, orange or yellow fruit becomes bluish-green when nearly mature. It varies in size from 2 - 10cm in diameter, containing about 5 - 50 seeds. Large fruits tend to be hard, whilst smaller ones are softer[
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.
].

The seeds, although bitter, are dried and are considered a sweet treat for children[
295
Title
PlantZAfrica.com
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://www.plantzafrica.com
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
An excellent site giving detailed descriptions and uses of many S. African plants.
]. This report needs to be treated with some care - the seeds of most species in this genus are toxic[
K
Title
Plants for a Future
Author
Ken Fern
Description
Notes from observations, tasting etc at Plants For A Future and on field trips.
].

Medicinal

The leaves are used in the treatment of scabies[
565
Title
Madagascar. An Environmental Profile.
Publication
 
Author
Jenkins M.D. (Editor)
Publisher
World Conservation Monitoring Centre; Cambridge.
Year
1987
ISBN
2-88032-607-9
Description
Contains a list of the Ethnobotanical uses of Madagascar plants.
].

The fruits are considered to be tonic[
565
Title
Madagascar. An Environmental Profile.
Publication
 
Author
Jenkins M.D. (Editor)
Publisher
World Conservation Monitoring Centre; Cambridge.
Year
1987
ISBN
2-88032-607-9
Description
Contains a list of the Ethnobotanical uses of Madagascar plants.
].
A paste is made from the fruit for treating jigger fleas[
295
Title
PlantZAfrica.com
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://www.plantzafrica.com
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
An excellent site giving detailed descriptions and uses of many S. African plants.
].

The powdered bark is considered to be tonic[
565
Title
Madagascar. An Environmental Profile.
Publication
 
Author
Jenkins M.D. (Editor)
Publisher
World Conservation Monitoring Centre; Cambridge.
Year
1987
ISBN
2-88032-607-9
Description
Contains a list of the Ethnobotanical uses of Madagascar plants.
].

The roots are ground up, mixed with hot water and taken orally as an emetic[
295
Title
PlantZAfrica.com
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://www.plantzafrica.com
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
An excellent site giving detailed descriptions and uses of many S. African plants.
].

Other Uses

The wood is used for construction of local houses, tool handles, woven doors, storage containers and spoons[
398
Title
Edible Wild Plants of Tanzania
Publication
 
Author
Ruffo, C.K.: Birnie, A. & Tengnas, B.
Publisher
Regional Land Management Unit; Nairobi.
Year
2002
ISBN
9966-896-60-0
Description
A very well presented, simple guide to growing and utilizing wild food plants in Tanzania, with line drawings of each plant, a description, habitat and range, non-food as well as food uses, plus basic information on growing the plants.
].
The wood is used for fuel[
398
Title
Edible Wild Plants of Tanzania
Publication
 
Author
Ruffo, C.K.: Birnie, A. & Tengnas, B.
Publisher
Regional Land Management Unit; Nairobi.
Year
2002
ISBN
9966-896-60-0
Description
A very well presented, simple guide to growing and utilizing wild food plants in Tanzania, with line drawings of each plant, a description, habitat and range, non-food as well as food uses, plus basic information on growing the plants.
].

Propagation

Seed -an easy method of propagating the plant[
295
Title
PlantZAfrica.com
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://www.plantzafrica.com
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
An excellent site giving detailed descriptions and uses of many S. African plants.
].
Cite as: Tropical Plants Database, Ken Fern. tropical.theferns.info. 2024-03-28. <tropical.theferns.info/viewtropical.php?id=Strychnos+madagascariensis>

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