Common Name:

General Information

Terminalia avicennioides is a much-branched shrub or a small tree; it can grow rom 2 - 12 metres tall. The bole is short, with a rough grey corky bark[, ].
The tree is harvested from the wild for local use as a medicine and source of materials. It has potential for use as a pioneer to restore woodland and also for stabilizing the soil.

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

Range

West tropical Africa - Senegal to Central African Republic.

Habitat

Savannah; sometimes extremely abundant; low-lying sandy plain, old cultivated ground; dry Anogeissus forest; at elevations up to 1,600 metres[]. Savannah woodland[].

Properties

Medicinal Rating
Other Uses Rating
Habit	Tree
Height	6.00 m
Cultivation Status	Wild

Cultivation Details

A tree of the drier to fairly most regions of the tropics. It drier areas it can thrive with a mean annual rainfall of 500 - 1,000mm[].
Requires a sunny position. Succeeds in a wide range of soils[].
The rough grey corky bark of the tree renders it somewhat fire-resistant[].

Edible Uses

None known

Medicinal

The powdered bark is emetic and charlatans in Senegal administer it in milk, resulting in their 'patients' vomiting up a red liquid which the credulous believe is taking away the cause of their illness[]. The root-bark is combined with other herbs and made into a decoction that is taken internally and by enema to treat severe jaundice; the lees left over are used in a friction rub over the body[].
The root-bark is considered cleansing and healing on refractory sores[].

A decoction of the root is taken by draught and by enema to remedy diarrhoea and dysenteries[]. Children with these affections are given the powdered root in boiled milk sweetened with honey[]. A root decoction is considered active in the treatment of ascites, oedemas and of diangara cayor arising from tertiary syphilis[]. An aqueous root-macerate is given to nursing mothers with babies suffering from eye-troubles[].
The powdered root is applied topically to skin infections, sores and ulcers; and is rubbed on the gums to relieve toothache[]. The roots are also used in a prescription for leprosy[].

The pulverized leaves are applied as a poultice on burns and bruises[].
The leaves are often galled, and these have medicinal use. They are reduced to ashes and mixed with the roasted bulbs of Crinum species, this is then combined with fresh cow's butter to make an ointment which is used for rubbing on rheumatic and swollen joints[].

Examinations of the roots have found no antibiotic activity[].
The root showed anti-microbial activity against Sarcina lutea, Staphylococcus aureus and Mycobacterium phlei, all Gram positive organisms. No action was found on Gram negative bacteria; nor on fungi[].

Agroforestry Uses:

The plant occurs on fixed sand-dunes in Senegal, and may perhaps contribute to stabilization of the dunes[].
A typical pioneer species, growing on a range of soils[]. It has potential for use in reforestation schemes when restoring native woodland[].

Other Uses

Fallen or felled trees rot to a light spongy reddish material with a strong smell. This is sold in markets in Mali under the name of uolo mogo (Bambara) and used for burning as an incense[].

The roots are used as chew-sticks for their alleged effect against dental caries. An examination of chew-stick material revealed no antibiotic activity, although there was antimicrobial activity[].

A yellow dye is extracted from the beaten roots and is used for dyeing cloth[].
A brown dye is obtained from the bark[].
A black dye is obtained from the leaves[].

The yellowish-brown wood is hard, tough and durable. The wood is used in house-construction and in revetting wells. For carpentry however it is inferior and the twisted grain of the sap-wood makes it difficult to finish[, ].
Bows and walking-sticks or cudgels are made from the roots, which are first wrapped in leaves and scorched to remove the bark, and then soaked in oil. Any staff or cudgel called gwalmi or kwaleru (Hausa) is usually said to be made of wood of this species[].
The wood is used for fuel and is valued for charcoal[, ].

Propagation

Seed -

Add a Comment:

If you have any useful information about this plant, please leave a comment. Comments have to be approved before they are shown here.

Name:

Email(Private):

Message:

Captcha: what is half of 100?