Omphalogonus calophyllus
Baill.
Apocynaceae
Omphalogonus nigritanus N.E.Br.
Parquetina nigrescens (Afzel.) Bullock
Periploca calophylla (Baill.) Roberty
Common Name:
General Information
Omphalogonus calophyllus is a herbaceous, perennial climbing plant that becomes woody at the base[
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/
]. It produces stems up to 7 - 8 metres long that twine into other plants for support[
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 plant is harvested from the wild for its fibre, latex and medicinal uses. It is also cultivated, especially in Nigeria and Benin, for the fibre[
].
Known Hazards
The fresh bark, mixed with the bark of Strophantus gratus, is used for the preparation of an arrow poison. The whole plant can be used for the same purpose[
462- Title
- Inventory of Plants used in Traditional Medicine in Tanzania. Part 1.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Hedberg I. & Hedberg O.
- Publisher
- Journal of Ethnopharmacology
- Year
- 1982
- ISBN
-
- Description
- Basic traditional medicinal uses of a range of plants from Tanzania.
].
Botanical References
Range
Tropical Africa - Senegal to Kenya and southwards.
Habitat
Secondary jungle, commonly growing on ant-hills[
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/
].
Properties
| Medicinal Rating |  |
| Other Uses Rating |  |
| Habit | Perennial Climber |
| Height | 7.00 m |
| Cultivation Status | Cultivated, Wild |
Cultivation Details
Not known
Edible Uses
None known
Medicinal
The herb is used against dysmenorrohoea462].
A decoction of the roots is used as an aphrodisiac[
462- Title
- Inventory of Plants used in Traditional Medicine in Tanzania. Part 1.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Hedberg I. & Hedberg O.
- Publisher
- Journal of Ethnopharmacology
- Year
- 1982
- ISBN
-
- Description
- Basic traditional medicinal uses of a range of plants from Tanzania.
].
The leaves and stem bark have given negative tests for alkaloids, flavonoids, saponins, tannins, quinones, steroids and terpenes[
462- Title
- Inventory of Plants used in Traditional Medicine in Tanzania. Part 1.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Hedberg I. & Hedberg O.
- Publisher
- Journal of Ethnopharmacology
- Year
- 1982
- ISBN
-
- Description
- Basic traditional medicinal uses of a range of plants from Tanzania.
].
The wood contains a complicated mixture of cardiac glycosides with strophanthidin, 16@hydroxystrophanthidin, 16&acetoxystrophanthidin, 16-dehydrostrophanthidin, strophanthidol, 16-dehydrostrophanthidol and convallatoxin as aglycones[
462- Title
- Inventory of Plants used in Traditional Medicine in Tanzania. Part 1.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Hedberg I. & Hedberg O.
- Publisher
- Journal of Ethnopharmacology
- Year
- 1982
- ISBN
-
- Description
- Basic traditional medicinal uses of a range of plants from Tanzania.
].
Agroforestry Uses:
The plant is grown in hedges as a source of fibre[
].
Other Uses
The fibres of the shoots are made into fishing-lines and nets[
].
A latex is obtained from the plant[
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.
]. Difficult to gather, it is probably of use in times of emergency[
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 inferior latex was probably used for the adulteration of other sorts of latex[
].
Propagation
Seed -
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Useful Tropical Plants Database 2014 by
Ken Fern,
web interface by
Ajna Fern
with help from
Richard Morris.
