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Useful Tropical Plants

Clutia abyssinica

Jaub. & Spach

Peraceae


The generic name is often spelled Cluytia in older publications[
K
Title
Plants for a Future
Author
Ken Fern
Description
Notes from observations, tasting etc at Plants For A Future and on field trips.
].

+ Synonyms

Clutia anomala Pax & K.Hoffm.

Clutia glabrescens Knauf

Clutia lanceolata glabra A.Rich.

Clutia leuconeura Pax

Clutia mollis Pax

Clutia pedicellaris (Pax) Hutch.

Clutia richardiana pedicellaris Pax

Clutia rotundifolia Pax

Common Name:

Clutia abyssinica
Flowers and developing fruits
Photograph by: Scamperdale
Creative Commons License
Clutia abyssinica Clutia abyssinica

General Information

Clutia abyssinica is a very variable plant. It can range in habit from an erect, large woody herb or shrub growing 1 - 4 metres tall, or can become a tree up to 8 metres tall[
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 stems are brittle[
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 plant is often harvested from the wild for local medicinal use.

Known Hazards

Although we have seen no specific information for this species, there are reports that several species in this genus are highly toxic to grazing animals[
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.
].

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.
,
500
Title
Flora of Somalia
Publication
 
Author
Thulin M. (Editor)
Publisher
Kew Publishing, London.
Year
1993
ISBN
 
Description
Detailed information on the plants of the region, often adding notes on the plants uses.

Range

Eastern and southern Africa - Sudan to Somalia, eastern DR Congo, Uganda and Kenya, south to Angola, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Mozambique and S. Africa.

Habitat

Forest edges, associated bushland and wooded grassland; secondary associations; lakeside, riverine, evergreen thickets; bamboo and near arborescent Ericaceae formations; gallery forest; at elevations from 700 - 3,700 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

Edibility Rating *  *
Medicinal Rating *  *  *
Other Uses Rating *  *
HabitShrub
Height3.00 m
Self-fertileNo
Cultivation StatusWild

Cultivation Details



A dioecious species, both male and female forms need to be grown if fruit and seed are required[
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.
].

Edible Uses

The roots are boiled with food to add flavour to it[
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.
].

Medicinal

The roots and leaves are commonly used for medicinal purposes within the plant's native range. Research has shown the presence of a range of compounds in the plant - for example the roots contain a phytosterol glucoside and several bicyclic diterpenoids[
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.
].
Ethanolic leaf, stem and root extracts have shown moderate antiviral activity in vitro against polio virus and Coxsackie virus; moderate antifungal activity against Aspergillus fumigatus and Fusarium culmorum; but little antibacterial activity[
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 dry leaves showed antifungal activity against Trichophyton mentagrophytes[
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 roots are used to treat a wide range of ailments, usually in the form of a decoction. Conditions treated include chest complaints such as influenza, coughs and colds; fevers, including malaria; liver problems, stomach aches and indigestion; headaches; intestinal worms; whilst it is also taken as a tonic by pregnant women[
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 boiled roots are made into a soup which is taken as a remedy for enlarged spleen and kidney problems. The ground roots are applied as an enema to treat gonorrhoea[
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 decoction of the root is rubbed on the head to relieve a headache[
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 root bark is laxative. A maceration is drunk to treat abdominal problems, and to expel intestinal 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.
].

The leaves are used in various ways, as a powder, infusion or a decoction for example. They have a stimulant effect on the uterus and so are used to induce the process of childbirth, or to induce an abortion. They are also taken to treat sciatic pain, coughs, whooping cough and headaches. A strong decoction is taken to treat shock[
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.
]. When diluted in water, the sap is applied as an enema to treat diarrhoea in children, whilst a vapour bath of the leaves is used to treat malaria[
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.
].
Applied externally, the leaf powder is mixed with palm oil and applied as a healing salve on burns[
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 maceration of the crushed leaves is used as nose drops to treat pneumonia; the fresh leaves are rubbed on the gums to treat toothache and on the skin to treat fungal problems[
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 sap of leafy twigs is drunk to treat chest pain, side pain and shortness of breath. An infusion of the leafy twigs, or the leaves, is drunk or the ash eaten to treat skin problems, elephantiasis, diarrhoea and tachycardia[
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.
]. This infusion can also be used as a wash to treat these ailments[
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 smoked by women to treat menstrual pains[
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 presence of the plant is often an indicator of an old forest area[
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.
].

Other Uses

None known

Propagation

Seed -
Cite as: Tropical Plants Database, Ken Fern. tropical.theferns.info. 2024-12-03. <tropical.theferns.info/viewtropical.php?id=Clutia+abyssinica>

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