Strychnos congolana
Gilg
Loganiaceae
Strychnos lecomtei A.Chev. ex Hutch. & Dalziel
Strychnos viridiflora De Wild.
Common Name:
General Information
Strychnos congolana is a sometimes spiny, climbing shrub producing stems from 20 - 35 metres long and 3 - 10cm in diameter. The stems can climb into the canopy of the forest, supporting themselves by means of tendrils. When growing in more open positions in secondary forest the plant will often adopt a more shrub form of growth[
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/
,
736- Title
- Flora of West Tropical Africa
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Website
- http://plants.jstor.org/search?st=2025
- Publisher
-
- Year
- 0
- ISBN
-
- Description
- An online flora, not yet complet (2012). Very comprehensive as regards to species covered, but the information on each species is often rather terse.
].
The plant is sometimes harvested from the wild for local use as a food and medicine.
Known Hazards
None known
Botanical References
610- Title
- Flora of Tropical East Africa
- Publication
-
- Author
- Beentje H.J.
- Website
- http://plants.jstor.org/search?st=396814
- Publisher
- Royal Botanic Gardens; Kew.
- Year
- 2002
- ISBN
-
- Description
- Available on-line, a modern flora of East Africa.
,
736- Title
- Flora of West Tropical Africa
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Website
- http://plants.jstor.org/search?st=2025
- Publisher
-
- Year
- 0
- ISBN
-
- Description
- An online flora, not yet complet (2012). Very comprehensive as regards to species covered, but the information on each species is often rather terse.
Range
Tropical Africa - Cote D'Ivoire to Nigeria, DR Congo and Uganda.
Habitat
Dense rainforest, gallery forests and also in the more open secondary formations[
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
| Edibility Rating |  |
| Medicinal Rating |  |
| Habit | Climber |
| Height | 25.00 m |
| Cultivation Status | Wild |
Cultivation Details
Not known
Edible Uses
Fruit - raw[
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 pulp is eaten[
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 globose fruit is around 7cm in diameter with a woody shell[
610- Title
- Flora of Tropical East Africa
- Publication
-
- Author
- Beentje H.J.
- Website
- http://plants.jstor.org/search?st=396814
- Publisher
- Royal Botanic Gardens; Kew.
- Year
- 2002
- ISBN
-
- Description
- Available on-line, a modern flora of East Africa.
].
Medicinal
The leaves are pulped and applied topically as a poultice to treat venomous stings, snakebites etc[
299- Title
- Protabase - Plant Resources of Tropical Africa.
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Website
- http://www.prota.org
- Publisher
-
- Year
- 0
- ISBN
-
- Description
- An excellent on-line database with detailed information on over 3,200 species of useful plants of Africa.
,
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 dried and powdered roots, combined with the seeds of Aframomum melegueta, are made into a paste and administered as a suppository to treat dysmenorrhoea[
299- Title
- Protabase - Plant Resources of Tropical Africa.
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Website
- http://www.prota.org
- Publisher
-
- Year
- 0
- ISBN
-
- Description
- An excellent on-line database with detailed information on over 3,200 species of useful plants of Africa.
]. The paste is also used as an aphrodisiac[
299- Title
- Protabase - Plant Resources of Tropical Africa.
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Website
- http://www.prota.org
- Publisher
-
- Year
- 0
- ISBN
-
- Description
- An excellent on-line database with detailed information on over 3,200 species of useful plants of Africa.
].
Other Uses
None known
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.
