Common Name:

General Information

Funtumia africana is a tree with a narrow crown; it can grow up to 30 metres tall, but is usually shorter. The slender, cylindrical bole can be up to 50cm in diameter and is unbuttressed[, ].
The tree is harvested from the wild for local use as a medicine and source of materials. Unlike the closely related Funtumia elastica, the latex of this species does not furnish a high quality rubber.

Known Hazards

The latex obtained from this plant is a weak ingredient and adherent for poisoned arrows[].

Botanical References

Range

Tropical Africa - Senegal, through Cameroon, Central African Republic to Uganda and Kenya, south to Angola, DR Congo, Malawi, Mozambique and Zimbabwe.

Habitat

Deciduous and evergreen forests, usually occupying the second storey, under the canopy. The tree is also commonly found in areas of secondary regrowth[, ].

Properties

Medicinal Rating
Other Uses Rating
Habit	Tree
Height	20.00 m
Growth Rate	Fast
Pollinators	Bees, Insects
Cultivation Status	Wild

Cultivation Details

The tree is of rapid growth, and is an evanescent colonizer of abandoned land[].

Edible Uses

None known

Medicinal

The roots, pounded and mixed with palm-wine and water, have been used in the treatment of incontinence of urine[]. A root-decoction is drunk as a treatment for amoebic dysentery[].

The dried powdered leaves are used to treat fire-burns[].

A number of alkaloids has been reported present in the leaves, and other parts. Principally are funtumine and funtumidine. They are hypotensive and locally anaesthetic. They are easily transformed into steroidal hormones[].

Agroforestry Uses:

The tree is of rapid growth, and is an evanescent colonizer of abandoned land[]. It casts a heavy, cool shade; its root system protects moist forest soil from erosion, whilst the leaf litter improves the fertility of the surrounding soil[].

Other Uses

A latex exudes copiously from wounds in the bark[]. A gluey texture, unlike the latex from the related Funtumia elastica, the latex from this species cannot be used to make a good quality rubber[, ]. Using this latex as an adulterant of better latexes leads to imperfect coagulation and consequently a valueless rubber[].

The seed pod contains a fine floss surrounding the seeds. This is used for stuffing pillows, and in some areas is preferred over the more commonly used Ceiba kapok[].

The white wood is soft, uniform in texture and fine-grained. It is easy to work and is ubiquitously used for carving, and for making items such as stools, bowls, clogs, doors, paddles, and miscellaneous household requirements[]. It is said to be durable enough in Liberia for sawing into planks and house-timbers though it is subject to stain and to attack by beetle[].
The wood is used for fuel[].

Propagation

Seed -

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