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Useful Tropical Plants

Cordia monoica

Roxb.

Boraginaceae

+ Synonyms

Cordia bakeri Britten

Cordia bequaertii De Wild.

Cordia dioica A.DC.

Cordia diversa Thwaites

Cordia kabarensis De Wild.

Cordia leucocoma Miq.

Cordia obovata Baker

Cordia ovalis R.Br. ex A.DC.

Cordia polygama Roxb.

Cordia quarensis Gürke

Cordia rubra Hochst. ex A.Rich.

Cordia subpubescens Decne.

Cordia timorensis Span.

Cordia trichostemon A.DC.

Gerascanthus bakeri (Britten) Borhidi

Gerascanthus dioicus (Bojer ex A.DC.) Borhidi

Gerascanthus monoicus (Roxb.) Borhidi

Gerascanthus subpubescens (Decne.) Borhidi

Gerascanthus trichostemon (DC.) Borhidi

Lithocardium leucocomum Kuntze

Lithocardium monoicum Kuntze

Lithocardium ovale (R.Br. ex A.DC.) Kuntze

Lithocardium subpubescens (Decne.) Kuntze

Lithocardium trichostemon (A.DC.) Kuntze

Common Name:

Cordia monoica
Flowers
Photograph by: Fortunat Rakotoarivelo
Creative Commons License

General Information

Cordia monoica is a multi-stemmed evergreen shrub or small tree, usually growing up to 6 metres tall but occasionally reaching 12 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.
].
The tree is harvested from the wild as a local source of food, medicine and wood. It is sometimes grown as an ornamental[
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.
].
Cordia monoica has a very wide distribution, large population, is not currently experiencing any major threats and no significant future threats have been identified. The plant is classified as 'Least Concern' in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species(2019)[
338
Title
IUCN Red List of Threatened Species
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://www.iucnredlist.org/
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
A list of plants under threat and facing possible extinction, usually with brief details of the threats and information on habitat.
].

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

200
Title
The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992.
Publication
 
Author
Huxley. A.
Publisher
MacMillan Press
Year
1992
ISBN
0-333-47494-5
Description
Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.
,
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

Eastern and southern Africa - Ethiopia to Somalia south to southern Africa; Asia - Arabian Peninsula, India, Sri Lanka, Myanmar.

Habitat

Found in a variety of habitats from wet or riverine forest to woodland and bush with Acacia-Euphorbia or grassland, at elevations from sea level to 1,800 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

Conservation StatusLeast Concern
Edibility Rating *  *
Medicinal Rating *  *
Other Uses Rating *  *
HabitEvergreen Tree
Height5.00 m
Growth RateSlow
PollinatorsBees
Cultivation StatusOrnamental, Wild

Cultivation Details



A slow to moderate growing tree[
396
Title
Useful Trees and Shrubs in Eritrea
Publication
 
Author
Bein. E.; Habte. B.; Jaber. A.; Birnie. A. & Tengnas. B.
Publisher
Regional Soil Conservation Unit: Nairobi
Year
1996
ISBN
9966-896-24-4
Description
A very well written and concise guide to almost 200 species. It gives a brief description of each plant together with its habitat, uses, propagation and cultivation. Line drawings of each plant are also included It can be downloaded from the internet
].
Trees can be coppiced and pollarded[
396
Title
Useful Trees and Shrubs in Eritrea
Publication
 
Author
Bein. E.; Habte. B.; Jaber. A.; Birnie. A. & Tengnas. B.
Publisher
Regional Soil Conservation Unit: Nairobi
Year
1996
ISBN
9966-896-24-4
Description
A very well written and concise guide to almost 200 species. It gives a brief description of each plant together with its habitat, uses, propagation and cultivation. Line drawings of each plant are also included It can be downloaded from the internet
].
The tree is usually hermaphrodite, though some specimens can be dioecious[
200
Title
The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992.
Publication
 
Author
Huxley. A.
Publisher
MacMillan Press
Year
1992
ISBN
0-333-47494-5
Description
Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.
].

Edible Uses

Fruit - raw[
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.
]. A jelly-like pulp with a sweet flavour, they are eaten as a snack[
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 yellow-orange, oval fruit is about 2cm long, containing a single seed[
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.
].

Medicinal

The leaves are used in the treatment of chest pain.
The leaves are used to treat eye diseases[
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.
,
1905
Title
Traditional uses, phytochemistry and pharmacology of the medicinal species of the genus Cordia (Boraginaceae)
Publication
Journal of Pharmacy and Pharmacology, 69 (2017), pp. 755-789
Author
Oza M.J. & Kulkarni Y.A.
Website
http://10.1111/jphp.12715
Publisher
 
Year
2017
ISBN
 
Description
 
].
The leaves and stem bark are used in a steam bath to treat leprosy, whilst the body is also washed with a decoction made from the pounded bark[
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.
,
1905
Title
Traditional uses, phytochemistry and pharmacology of the medicinal species of the genus Cordia (Boraginaceae)
Publication
Journal of Pharmacy and Pharmacology, 69 (2017), pp. 755-789
Author
Oza M.J. & Kulkarni Y.A.
Website
http://10.1111/jphp.12715
Publisher
 
Year
2017
ISBN
 
Description
 
].

The roots are used tin the treatment of vomiting and malaria[
1905
Title
Traditional uses, phytochemistry and pharmacology of the medicinal species of the genus Cordia (Boraginaceae)
Publication
Journal of Pharmacy and Pharmacology, 69 (2017), pp. 755-789
Author
Oza M.J. & Kulkarni Y.A.
Website
http://10.1111/jphp.12715
Publisher
 
Year
2017
ISBN
 
Description
 
].

.

Other Uses

The leaves are very rough and are used as a sandpaper[
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 tough and used for building poles, bows, withies, walking sticks, clubs and pestles[
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 - slow to germinate, soaking the seed for 6 hours prior to sowing can improve germination rates[
396
Title
Useful Trees and Shrubs in Eritrea
Publication
 
Author
Bein. E.; Habte. B.; Jaber. A.; Birnie. A. & Tengnas. B.
Publisher
Regional Soil Conservation Unit: Nairobi
Year
1996
ISBN
9966-896-24-4
Description
A very well written and concise guide to almost 200 species. It gives a brief description of each plant together with its habitat, uses, propagation and cultivation. Line drawings of each plant are also included It can be downloaded from the internet
].
Cite as: Tropical Plants Database, Ken Fern. tropical.theferns.info. 2024-10-12. <tropical.theferns.info/viewtropical.php?id=Cordia+monoica>

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