Common Name:

General Information

Millettia thonningii is a deciduous tree with a large, dense crown; it can grow 9 - 20 metres tall. The bole can be up to 100cm in diameter; it is generally short, though it can reach up to 9 metres at times[, ].
The tree is harvested from the wild for local use as a medicine and source of wood. An ornamental tree, the large crown can be filled with beautiful mauve flowers when the tree is almost leafless[]. It is commonly planted in villages in western Africa[]. The tree produces leaves heavily, hence when in leaf provides shade on avenues[].

Known Hazards

The leaf juice is poisonous[].
Millettia species in general contain a range of toxic substances, especially isoflavones. Rotenone is probably the best known of these isoflavones and it is found especially in the seeds and roots of the plants. Rotenone is often used locally as a fish poison - the rotenone kills or stuns the fish making them easy to catch, but the fish remain perfectly safe for warm-blooded creatures to eat. Rotenone is classified by the World Health Organization as moderately hazardous. It is mildly toxic to humans and other mammals, but extremely toxic to many insects (hence its use as an insecticide) and also to aquatic life, including fish. This higher toxicity in fish and insects is because the lipophilic rotenone is easily taken up through the gills or trachea, but not as easily through the skin or the gastrointestinal tract. The lowest lethal dose for a child is 143 mg/kg, but human deaths from rotenone poisoning are rare because its irritating action causes vomiting. Deliberate ingestion of rotenone, however, can be fatal.
The compound decomposes when exposed to sunlight and usually has an activity of six days in the environment.
Millettia species often also contain other potentially toxic compounds, especially saponins and alkaloids[].

Botanical References

Range

West tropical Africa - Ghana, Togo, Benin, Nigeria, Cameroon, Gabon, Congo, DR Congo, northern Angola.

Habitat

Mixed deciduous forest; savannah, often by streams[]. A savannah and secondary forest species, often found on riverbanks, it occurs as clumps or thickets on plains usually associated with termitaria[].

Properties

Medicinal Rating
Other Uses Rating
Habit	Deciduous Tree
Height	15.00 m
Pollinators	Bees, Insects
Cultivation Status	Ornamental, Wild

Cultivation Details

A plant of the tropics, found in areas where the mean annual rainfall is in the range 600 - 1,000mm[].
Species in this genus generally grow best in a sunny position in a fertile, moisture-retentive but well-drained soil[].
This species has a symbiotic relationship with certain soil bacteria; these bacteria form nodules on the roots and fix atmospheric nitrogen. Some of this nitrogen is utilized by the growing plant but some can also be used by other plants growing nearby[].

Edible Uses

None known

Medicinal

Root and bark decoctions are used for worms expulsion and as laxative[]. The boiled pulverized roots and the bark are used for blood purification[].

A decoction of the bark is purgative[].

Leaf extract is used in the treatment of diarrhoea or dysentery[].

Agroforestry Uses:

The production of a heavy litter, coupled with a network of lateral roots makes this a good species for soil conservation and erosion control, especially on sloping ground[].
Leaves are shed in large quantity during the dry season and serve as mulch[].

Other Uses

The leaf juice is poisonous and is used to poison water snails that carry diseases[].

The heartwood is a dark, greenish browns; it is demarcated from the yellowish-white sapwood. It is fine-grained. The wood is heavy, very hard and flexible. It polishes well. It is used to make handles for implements such as axes, knives, tools, whilst the flexible young branches are used in the construction of traditional huts, as yam stakes, fencing poles and for making traps[].
The wood and the woody dry pods which drop after releasing the seeds are a source of fuelwood[].

Propagation

Like many species within the family Fabaceae, once they have been dried for storage the seeds of this species may benefit from scarification before sowing in order to speed up and improve germination. This can usually be done by pouring a small amount of nearly boiling water on the seeds (being careful not to cook them!) and then soaking them for 12 - 24 hours in warm water. By this time they should have imbibed moisture and swollen - if they have not, then carefully make a nick in the seedcoat (being careful not to damage the embryo) and soak for a further 12 hours before sowing[].

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