Macaranga schweinfurthii
Pax
Euphorbiaceae
Macaranga calophylla Pax
Macaranga lecomtei Beille
Macaranga rosea Pax
Common Name:
General Information
Macaranga schweinfurthii varies considerably in habit. Sometimes a shrub with many erect stems and branches, it can become a spreading tree 10 - 12 metres tall, or a large tree up to 40 metres tall with a flat crown and a straight bole that can be unbranched for 12 metres. The trunk and branches are armed with spiny outgrowths up to 6cm long[
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 tree is harvested from the wild for local use of its wood. It is used to provide shade for amenity[
].
Macaranga schweinfurthii 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
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
Tropical Africa - Guinea, through Central African Republic, Sudan, Uganda to Kenya, south to Angola, Zambia, Tanzania.
Habitat
Groundwater and swamp forests (mushitu); by lakes and swamps; gallery forest with Maesopsis and Erythrophleum species; at elevations from 900 - 1,280 metres, occasionally lower[
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
| Conservation Status | Least Concern |
| Other Uses Rating |  |
| Habit | Tree |
| Height | 10.00 m |
| Growth Rate | Fast |
| Self-fertile | No |
| Cultivation Status | Wild |
Cultivation Details
A fast-growing tree[
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.
].
A dioecious species, both male and female forms need to be grown if fruit and seed are required.
Edible Uses
None known
Medicinal
The plant is reported to contain flavones, saponins and tannins[
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/
].
Other Uses
The young stems are reported to yield a copious white sticky mucilage in Kenya and Malawi, whilst it is described as a pink jelly from the pith and a colourless slime from the bark in E. Cameroon and as a dark red resin in Nigeria[
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/
].
The wood is used for timber, boxes crates, stools and beehives[
].
The wood is used for fuel and to make charcoal[
].
Propagation
Seed -
If you have any useful information about this plant, please leave a comment. Comments have to be approved before they are shown here.
Useful Tropical Plants Database 2014 by
Ken Fern,
web interface by
Ajna Fern
with help from
Richard Morris.
