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Useful Tropical Plants

Daniellia oliveri

(Rolfe) Hutch. & Dalziel

Fabaceae

+ Synonyms

Paradaniellia oliveri Rolfe

Common Name: African Copaiba Balsam Tree

Daniellia oliveri
Tree growing in native habitat
Photograph by: Philippe Birnbaum; African plants - A Photo Guide
© Philippe Birnbaum
Daniellia oliveri Daniellia oliveri Daniellia oliveri Daniellia oliveri Daniellia oliveri Daniellia oliveri Daniellia oliveri

General Information

Daniellia oliveri is a slow-growing, deciduous tree with a flat-topped, spreading, dense crown; usually growing 9 - 25 metres tall, but with occasional specimens as tall as 45 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.
]. The cylindrical bole, which can be straight or twisted, can be 150 - 200cm in diameter, unbranched for the first 8 - 10 metres; unbuttressed but with root flutes at the base[
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 largest tree of the wooded savannahs of Sudan -Guinea, it is harvested from the wild for its timber, gum and medicinal properties. The edible leaves are sometimes sold in local markets and the timber is also traded[
617
Title
Traditional Vegetables in Benin
Publication
 
Author
Achigan-Dako E. Et al
Publisher
Darwin Initiative; International Foundation for Science
Year
2009
ISBN
 
Description
Issued as a PDF on the Internet, it contains basic information on over 250 species of plants used for food in Benin.
].

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

1361
Title
Taxonomic Revision of Daniellia (Leguminosae: Caesalpinioideae)
Publication
Systematic Botany (2010), 35(2): pp. 296-324
Author
Manuel de la Estrella, Carlos Aedo, Barbara Mackinder, and M
Publisher
 
Year
2010
ISBN
 
Description
 

Range

Tropical Africa - Senegal to Cote D'Ivoire, east to Sudan and Uganda.

Habitat

Wooded grassland with Butyrospermum paradoxum; gregarious in deciduous forests; wooded savannah to open forest on sandy-clayey humid soil; sandy soils on laterite; granitic rocks; on alluvial terrace of large marigot[
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 *  *  *
HabitTree
Height20.00 m
Growth RateSlow
PollinatorsInsects
Cultivation StatusWild

Cultivation Details



Although many species within the family Fabaceae have a symbiotic relationship with soil bacteria, this species is said to be devoid of such a relationship and therefore does not fix atmospheric nitrogen[
755
Title
Nodulation Plants in GRIN Taxonomy
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://www.ars-grin.gov/~sbmljw/cgi-bin/taxnodul.pl?language=en
Publisher
United States Department of Agriculture
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
An online database listing plants that have either positive or negative reports on root and stem nodulation with nitrogen-fixing bacteria.
].

Edible Uses

Tender young leaves - cooked and eaten as a vegetable[
332
Title
The Useful Plants of West Tropical Africa.
Publication
 
Author
Burkil. H. M.
Publisher
Royal Botanic Gardens; Kew.
Year
1985 - 2004
ISBN
 
Description
Brief descriptions and details of the uses of over 4,000 plants. A superb, if terse, resource, it is also available electronically on the Web - see http://www.aluka.org/
,
617
Title
Traditional Vegetables in Benin
Publication
 
Author
Achigan-Dako E. Et al
Publisher
Darwin Initiative; International Foundation for Science
Year
2009
ISBN
 
Description
Issued as a PDF on the Internet, it contains basic information on over 250 species of plants used for food in Benin.
]. The young leaves are only eaten in times of scarcity[
317
Title
Mansfeld's Database of Agricultural and Horticultural Plants
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://mansfeld.ipk-gatersleben.de/pls/htmldb_pgrc/f?p=185:3:4292127278597336
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
Terse details of a huge range of useful plants.
,
1026
Title
Useful Plants of Ghana
Publication
 
Author
Abbiw D.K.
Publisher
The Royal Botanic Gardens; Kew, UK
Year
1990
ISBN
1-85339-043-7
Description
The book is ordered by usage, rather than by plant. It makes it easier to look up individual uses, but rather difficult to collate all the uses of each species. Otherwise, a well-researched book.
]. The leaves are being used increasingly as a replacement for Vitex doniana leaves, which have become more difficult to obtain due to over-exploitation[
617
Title
Traditional Vegetables in Benin
Publication
 
Author
Achigan-Dako E. Et al
Publisher
Darwin Initiative; International Foundation for Science
Year
2009
ISBN
 
Description
Issued as a PDF on the Internet, it contains basic information on over 250 species of plants used for food in Benin.
].

The seeds are said to be eaten[
332
Title
The Useful Plants of West Tropical Africa.
Publication
 
Author
Burkil. H. M.
Publisher
Royal Botanic Gardens; Kew.
Year
1985 - 2004
ISBN
 
Description
Brief descriptions and details of the uses of over 4,000 plants. A superb, if terse, resource, it is also available electronically on the Web - see http://www.aluka.org/
,
1361
Title
Taxonomic Revision of Daniellia (Leguminosae: Caesalpinioideae)
Publication
Systematic Botany (2010), 35(2): pp. 296-324
Author
Manuel de la Estrella, Carlos Aedo, Barbara Mackinder, and M
Publisher
 
Year
2010
ISBN
 
Description
 
].

Medicinal

A decoction of the root is used in the treatment of gonorrhoea and skin diseases[
46
Title
Dictionary of Economic Plants.
Publication
 
Author
Uphof. J. C. Th.
Publisher
Weinheim
Year
1959
ISBN
-
Description
An excellent and very comprehensive guide but it only gives very short descriptions of the uses without any details of how to utilize the plants. Not for the casual reader.
].

The gum-resin, obtained from the wood, is used in the treatment of gonorrhoea[
317
Title
Mansfeld's Database of Agricultural and Horticultural Plants
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://mansfeld.ipk-gatersleben.de/pls/htmldb_pgrc/f?p=185:3:4292127278597336
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
Terse details of a huge range of useful plants.
,
1026
Title
Useful Plants of Ghana
Publication
 
Author
Abbiw D.K.
Publisher
The Royal Botanic Gardens; Kew, UK
Year
1990
ISBN
1-85339-043-7
Description
The book is ordered by usage, rather than by plant. It makes it easier to look up individual uses, but rather difficult to collate all the uses of each species. Otherwise, a well-researched book.
]. The resin is chewed and swallowed as a laxative[
1026
Title
Useful Plants of Ghana
Publication
 
Author
Abbiw D.K.
Publisher
The Royal Botanic Gardens; Kew, UK
Year
1990
ISBN
1-85339-043-7
Description
The book is ordered by usage, rather than by plant. It makes it easier to look up individual uses, but rather difficult to collate all the uses of each species. Otherwise, a well-researched book.
].
Applied externally, the gum resin is used to treat abscesses, itchy skin, skin diseases, and as a rub to treat inter-costal pain[
1026
Title
Useful Plants of Ghana
Publication
 
Author
Abbiw D.K.
Publisher
The Royal Botanic Gardens; Kew, UK
Year
1990
ISBN
1-85339-043-7
Description
The book is ordered by usage, rather than by plant. It makes it easier to look up individual uses, but rather difficult to collate all the uses of each species. Otherwise, a well-researched book.
].

The leaves are abortifacient, aphrodisiac, astringent, diuretic, emmenagogue and stomachic[
332
Title
The Useful Plants of West Tropical Africa.
Publication
 
Author
Burkil. H. M.
Publisher
Royal Botanic Gardens; Kew.
Year
1985 - 2004
ISBN
 
Description
Brief descriptions and details of the uses of over 4,000 plants. A superb, if terse, resource, it is also available electronically on the Web - see http://www.aluka.org/
,
1026
Title
Useful Plants of Ghana
Publication
 
Author
Abbiw D.K.
Publisher
The Royal Botanic Gardens; Kew, UK
Year
1990
ISBN
1-85339-043-7
Description
The book is ordered by usage, rather than by plant. It makes it easier to look up individual uses, but rather difficult to collate all the uses of each species. Otherwise, a well-researched book.
,
1363
Title
Anti-diarrheal Activity of the leaf extracts of Daniellia oliveri Hutch and Dalz (Fabaceae) and Ficus sycomorus Miq
Publication
Afr. J. Trad. CAM (2007) 4 (4): 524 - 528
Author
Ahmadu A.A.; Zezi A.U.; & Yaro A.H.
Website
http://www.africanethnomedicines.net
Publisher
 
Year
2007
ISBN
0189-6016
Description
 
]. They are used in the treatment of stomach troubles, diabetes, dysmenorrhoea, haemorrhoids[
332
Title
The Useful Plants of West Tropical Africa.
Publication
 
Author
Burkil. H. M.
Publisher
Royal Botanic Gardens; Kew.
Year
1985 - 2004
ISBN
 
Description
Brief descriptions and details of the uses of over 4,000 plants. A superb, if terse, resource, it is also available electronically on the Web - see http://www.aluka.org/
,
617
Title
Traditional Vegetables in Benin
Publication
 
Author
Achigan-Dako E. Et al
Publisher
Darwin Initiative; International Foundation for Science
Year
2009
ISBN
 
Description
Issued as a PDF on the Internet, it contains basic information on over 250 species of plants used for food in Benin.
,
1363
Title
Anti-diarrheal Activity of the leaf extracts of Daniellia oliveri Hutch and Dalz (Fabaceae) and Ficus sycomorus Miq
Publication
Afr. J. Trad. CAM (2007) 4 (4): 524 - 528
Author
Ahmadu A.A.; Zezi A.U.; & Yaro A.H.
Website
http://www.africanethnomedicines.net
Publisher
 
Year
2007
ISBN
0189-6016
Description
 
].
Whilst the leaves are said to be abortifacient, the flush of new leaf growth is said to be used to prevent miscarriages[
332
Title
The Useful Plants of West Tropical Africa.
Publication
 
Author
Burkil. H. M.
Publisher
Royal Botanic Gardens; Kew.
Year
1985 - 2004
ISBN
 
Description
Brief descriptions and details of the uses of over 4,000 plants. A superb, if terse, resource, it is also available electronically on the Web - see http://www.aluka.org/
].
A decoction of the leaves and bark is used as a mouthwash to treat toothache[
1026
Title
Useful Plants of Ghana
Publication
 
Author
Abbiw D.K.
Publisher
The Royal Botanic Gardens; Kew, UK
Year
1990
ISBN
1-85339-043-7
Description
The book is ordered by usage, rather than by plant. It makes it easier to look up individual uses, but rather difficult to collate all the uses of each species. Otherwise, a well-researched book.
].

The bark is used as a drink and an enema to treat dysmenorrhoea[
1026
Title
Useful Plants of Ghana
Publication
 
Author
Abbiw D.K.
Publisher
The Royal Botanic Gardens; Kew, UK
Year
1990
ISBN
1-85339-043-7
Description
The book is ordered by usage, rather than by plant. It makes it easier to look up individual uses, but rather difficult to collate all the uses of each species. Otherwise, a well-researched book.
].
An infusion of the powdered bark and buds is used ro relieve headaches[
1026
Title
Useful Plants of Ghana
Publication
 
Author
Abbiw D.K.
Publisher
The Royal Botanic Gardens; Kew, UK
Year
1990
ISBN
1-85339-043-7
Description
The book is ordered by usage, rather than by plant. It makes it easier to look up individual uses, but rather difficult to collate all the uses of each species. Otherwise, a well-researched book.
].
A decoction of the bark and roots is used to treat the skin disease 'crawcraw'[
1026
Title
Useful Plants of Ghana
Publication
 
Author
Abbiw D.K.
Publisher
The Royal Botanic Gardens; Kew, UK
Year
1990
ISBN
1-85339-043-7
Description
The book is ordered by usage, rather than by plant. It makes it easier to look up individual uses, but rather difficult to collate all the uses of each species. Otherwise, a well-researched book.
].

An aqueous extract of the powdered bark has been shown to have effective pain-reduction properties and also to be antioxidant[
1362
Title
Antinociceptive and Antioxidant Activity of an Aqueous Root Bark Extract of Daniellia oliveri (Rolfe) Hutch. & Dalzi
Publication
Journal of Applied Pharmaceutical Science Vol. 3 (12), pp. XXX-XXX, December, 2013
Author
Boye A.; Amoateng P.; Koffuor G.A,; Barku V.Y.A.; Bawa E.M.;
Website
http://www.japsonline.com
Publisher
 
Year
2013
ISBN
DOI: 10.7324/JAPS
Description
 
].

Other Uses

An ogea-gum-resin, obtained from the wood, is used for the manufacture of perfume, varnishes and furniture polish[
46
Title
Dictionary of Economic Plants.
Publication
 
Author
Uphof. J. C. Th.
Publisher
Weinheim
Year
1959
ISBN
-
Description
An excellent and very comprehensive guide but it only gives very short descriptions of the uses without any details of how to utilize the plants. Not for the casual reader.
,
317
Title
Mansfeld's Database of Agricultural and Horticultural Plants
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://mansfeld.ipk-gatersleben.de/pls/htmldb_pgrc/f?p=185:3:4292127278597336
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
Terse details of a huge range of useful plants.
]. Used locally as a gum.
A brown, fragrant balsam or oleo-resin is obtained from the trunk[
1309
Title
The Leguminosae; A Source Book of Characteristics, Uses and Nodulation
Publication
 
Author
Allen O.N.; Allen E.K.
Publisher
University of Wisconsin
Year
1981
ISBN
0-333-32221-5
Description
An amazing and comprehensive work, giving a brief guide to the many genera of the family Fabaceae and also the principle uses of the genus.
,
1355
Title
Plants of the World online
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://powo.science.kew.org/
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
An on-line database giving detailed descriptions of almost 40,000 species of plants (as of 2018), almost 25,000 images and a list of almost 850,000 plant names. A truly excellent resource and still growing.
]. It is used as an adulterant of copaiba balsam (from Copaifera species), as a material for torches, to fumigate closed areas etc[
1309
Title
The Leguminosae; A Source Book of Characteristics, Uses and Nodulation
Publication
 
Author
Allen O.N.; Allen E.K.
Publisher
University of Wisconsin
Year
1981
ISBN
0-333-32221-5
Description
An amazing and comprehensive work, giving a brief guide to the many genera of the family Fabaceae and also the principle uses of the genus.
]. The fresh material is obtained by cutting out square pieces of the bark, though most of it is obtained from the ground in a semi-fossilized state[
1309
Title
The Leguminosae; A Source Book of Characteristics, Uses and Nodulation
Publication
 
Author
Allen O.N.; Allen E.K.
Publisher
University of Wisconsin
Year
1981
ISBN
0-333-32221-5
Description
An amazing and comprehensive work, giving a brief guide to the many genera of the family Fabaceae and also the principle uses of the genus.
].

The heartwood is brown, sometimes with greenish-brown veins; it is not clearly demarcated from the 4 - 12cm wide band of sapwood. The texture is coarse; the grain straight or interlocked. The wood is light in weight, soft; it is not very durable, having a slight resistance to fungi and being susceptible to dry wood borers and termites. It seasons rapidly, with only a slight risk of checking or distortion; once dry it is moderately stable in service. The wood can be worked with ordinary tools, though they need to be kept very sharp because of the risk of fuzzy surfaces; nailing and screwing are good; gluing is correct, though assembling and gluing is sometimes difficult due to the warping of dried veneers. The wood is used for purposes such as boxes and crates, cheaper furniture, interior joinery, blockboard and veneer[
848
Title
Tropix 7
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://tropix.cirad.fr/en
Publisher
CIRAD
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
An on-line guide to the timbers of 245 species of trees.
].
The wood is used for fuel and to make charcoal[
1026
Title
Useful Plants of Ghana
Publication
 
Author
Abbiw D.K.
Publisher
The Royal Botanic Gardens; Kew, UK
Year
1990
ISBN
1-85339-043-7
Description
The book is ordered by usage, rather than by plant. It makes it easier to look up individual uses, but rather difficult to collate all the uses of each species. Otherwise, a well-researched book.
].

Propagation

Seed - pre-soak for 12 hours in warm water prior to sowing. The seed is best sown in situ since it quickly develops a deep taproot. If growing in a nursery bed, then frequent root pruning is required.
Cite as: Tropical Plants Database, Ken Fern. tropical.theferns.info. 2024-10-13. <tropical.theferns.info/viewtropical.php?id=Daniellia+oliveri>

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