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Useful Tropical Plants

Acokanthera oblongifolia

(Hochst.) Benth. & Hook.f. Ex B.D.Jacks.

Apocynaceae

+ Synonyms

Acokanthera spectabilis (Sond.) Hook.f.

Acokanthera venenata spectabilis (Sond.) Sim

Carissa oblongifolia Hochst.

Carissa spectabilis (Sond.) Pichon

Jasminonerium oblongifolium (Hochst.) Kuntze

Toxicophlaea spectabilis Sond.

Common Name:

Acokanthera oblongifolia
Ripening fruits
Photograph by: fotoculus
Creative Commons License
Acokanthera oblongifolia Acokanthera oblongifolia Acokanthera oblongifolia Acokanthera oblongifolia Acokanthera oblongifolia

General Information

Acokanthera oblongifolia is an evergreen shrub or small tree growing up to 6 metres tall[
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 plant is sometimes harvested from the wild for local use as a medicine and source of poisons. A beautiful plant, especially when in flower, but probably too poisonous to be grown in gardens[
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.
].

Known Hazards

The fruit is highly toxic, especially when unripe, but the ripe fruits have also caused fatalities in children[
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 stem bark and root bark are used as a potent arrow poison, for homicide, suicide and to kill stray dogs[
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.
].
Contact with the plant can cause urticari, smarting of the eyes and skin, and throat irritation[
407
Title
BoDD (Botanical Dermatology Database)
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://bodd.cf.ac.uk/
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
Brief notes on a very wide range of plants that have reports of causing harm to the skin.
].

Botanical References


Range

Eastern Africa - Mozambique, S. Africa.

Habitat

Dry forests and thickets on coastal dunes[
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 *  *
HabitEvergreen Tree
Height5.00 m
Cultivation StatusWild

Cultivation Details

A plant mainly found in the subtropics, just moving into the tropics in Mozambique. It is found at lowland elevations up to 950 metres[
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.
]. Established plants can tolerate some frost.
Succeeds in full sun, but prefers a position with some shade. Established plants are drought resistant.

Edible Uses

None known

Medicinal

Although very poisonous, the plant is used locally in Africa, especially to treat snakebites and as an emetic. Numerous cardenolides have been detected in the wood, leaves, seeds and fruit, the most important being acovenosides A and B, which both have cardio-vascular 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.
]. Other cardenolides that were isolated are acovenoside C, spectabiline and acopieroside II. The last compound shows a higher activity than digitalin and digoxin as a cardiotonic. The seeds yielded acobioside A and 14-O-acetyl-acovenoside C; the latter showed marked cardiotonic activity in dogs[
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.
].

To treat snakebites, a small amount of the leaves is eaten, a leaf decoction is drunk and the leaf pulp is rubbed into the wound, root powder is sniffed and roots or leaves are put on the swollen part as a dressing[
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.
].

Root scrapings are rubbed into the skin as a treatment against itch[
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 wood or leaf decoction is drunk or administered as an enema as a cure for internal worms[
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

None known

Propagation

Seed -
Cite as: Tropical Plants Database, Ken Fern. tropical.theferns.info. 2024-10-06. <tropical.theferns.info/viewtropical.php?id=Acokanthera+oblongifolia>

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