Common Name: Horn-Pod Tree

General Information

Horn-pod tree is a shrub or small tree with very sweet-scented flowers[]. It usually grows up to 12 metres tall with occasional specimens up to 20 metres[].
The tree is harvested from the wild for its timber, latex, fibre and medicinal virtues.

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

Range

Africa - Congo, DR Congo, Tanzania, Angola, Zambia, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, Botswana, Zimbabwe, S. Africa.

Habitat

Dry deciduous woodland and on stony hillsides, at elevations up to 1,700 metres[].

Properties

Medicinal Rating
Other Uses Rating
Habit	Shrub
Height	12.00 m
Cultivation Status	Wild

Cultivation Details

Usually found in deep, sandy soils in the wild[].
Coppicing and pollarding are appropriate management techniques - the cut trunks sprout readily from the base[].

Edible Uses

None known

Medicinal

A decoction of the root bark is used to treat indigestion, diarrhoea, fever, snakebites, infertility and venereal diseases[].

A decoction of the root is used to treat a variety of complaints including chronic cough, pneumonia and pulmonary tuberculosis; rectal prolapse; diabetes; testicle inflammation; and to facilitate giving birth[]. Combined with salt, it is used to treat cough[].
Te root powder is taken with food to treat anorexia and is added to porridge in order to treat pain in the digestive tract[].
It is applied externally to treat sore eyes[]. The body is washed with an infusion of the root to treat measles[].

A leaf infusion is used to treat headache and stomach problems[].

The latex is smeared on cuts to heal them[]. It is believed to stimulate milk flow in nursing mothers, a few drops of the latex being sprinkled over the breasts[].

Alkaloids are present in both the stem bark and root bark, the latter being a richer source[]. These alkaloids belong to 3 main groups: yohimbine and its isomer β-yohimbine; nor-macusine B (tombozine or diplorrhyne), stemmadenine and condylocarpine; and 14-hydroxy-akuammicine (mossambine or diplorhyncine) and nor-fluorocurarine. Most of these compounds also occur in other members of Apocynaceae[].
An aqueous extract of the roots and stems is reported to be a useful sympatholytic. Ethanolic extracts of the roots did not show a significant antiplasmodial activity in vitro[].

Other Uses

A fibre obtained from the bark is used for weaving in a similar way as the bark fibre of baobab (Adansonia digitata)[].

A latex obtained from injuries to the plant is used to repair bicycle tyres[]. It is also used as glue to stick feathers and metal tips to arrows[]. The latex is also smeared on hides of drums to improve the tone[].

The wood is suitable for ornaments, furniture, fencing and firewood and to make charcoal[].

Propagation

Seed -
Cuttings.

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