Common Name:

General Information

Tabernaemontana ventricosa is an evergreen shrub or small tree that can grow 3 - 15 metres tall, The bole can be 5 - 30cm in diameter with a bark that is often corky[, ].
The tree is harvested from the wild for local use as a food, medicine and source of wood and latex. It would make an attractive garden tree with its sweet-smelling flowers and unusual fruits[].

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

Range

Africa - Nigeria, Cameroon, eastern DR Congo, Uganda, Kenya, Burundi, Tanzania, Mozambique, Malawi, Zimbabwe, S. Africa.

Habitat

Open or secondary forest, gallery forest and thickets in woodland, at elevations from sea-level to 1,850 metres[, ].

Properties

Edibility Rating
Medicinal Rating
Other Uses Rating
Habit	Evergreen Tree
Height	10.00 m
Growth Rate	Medium
Cultivation Status	Ornamental, Wild

Cultivation Details

It is frost sensitive,
The plant gros best in a shady position[]. It requires a moderate amount of water, and is suitable for planting in swampy areas where other species fail to survive[].
A relatively fast-growing tree[].

Edible Uses

The fruits are edible[].

Medicinal

The latex is applied to wounds and sore eyes to promote healing[]. The latex is said to promote rapid healing of wounds, even old wounds[].

A bark decoction is taken to reduce fever[].

The seeds, bark and roots are used as medicine for nervous problems and high blood pressure[].

The major indole alkaloids extracted from the stem bark of Tabernaemontana ventricosa plants cultivated in a greenhouse were 10-hydroxyheyneanine (ibogan class) and akuammicine (strychnan class). Minor amounts of apparicine, tubotaiwine (aspidospermatan class), norfluorocurarine, akuammicine N4-oxide (strychnan class), 16-epi-isositsirikine (corynanthean class) and 10-hydroxycoronaridine (ibogan class) were also detected[].
Akuammicine showed opioid activity in opiate receptor studies. Bark extracts of Tabernaemontana ventricosa do not show antibacterial, antifungal and antimalarial activities in vitro[].
A leaf extract showed significant anti-amoebic activity[]

Other Uses

A latex is obtained from the tree[]. It contains 12 - 20% rubber and 34 - 50% resin[].

The soft whitish wood is used for making stools, beds and knife sheaths and in construction[]. The wood is yellow and very hard[].

Propagation

Seed - easy[].

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