Biology:Cussonia holstii

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Short description: Species of plant

Cussonia holstii
Scientific classification edit
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Asterids
Order: Apiales
Family: Araliaceae
Genus: Cussonia
Species:
C. holstii
Binomial name
Cussonia holstii
Harms ex Engl.

Cussonia holstii is a small to medium size tree belonging to the family Araliaceae. The tree is similar in shape to a paw paw tree.[1]

Description

The species can grow up to 20 m tall, the trunk is straight and can reach 1 m in diameter. Its bark is fissured and scaly and commonly dark greyish in color.[1] The species has digitately compound adult leaves clustered at the end of branches, with 3-7 leaflets that are broadly ovate in outline with a crenate margin; the apex is acuminate while the base is cuneate to cordate.[2] Petiole is present and up to 40 cm long. Flowers are in spikes, green to yellow in color, can be up to 30 together at apex of branches.[2][1]

Distribution

The species occurs in East Africa from Somalia southwards to Tanzania.[3]

Uses

A decoction of leaf extracts is used in traditional medicine to treat abdominal pain while a bark decoction is used during child birth to clean the uterus and expel the placenta.[2] Leaves are also used as fodder for goats.

Wood is soft and used to make doors and beehives.[4]

References

  1. 1.0 1.1 1.2 Dale, Ivan Robert; Greenway, Percy James (1961). Kenya trees & shrubs. Internet Archive. Nairobi : Buchanan's Kenya Estates. pp. 51. http://archive.org/details/kenyatreesshrubs00dale. 
  2. 2.0 2.1 2.2 Bussmann, Rainer W., ed (2021) (in en). Ethnobotany of the Mountain Regions of Africa. Ethnobotany of Mountain Regions. Cham: Springer International Publishing. pp. 375-376. doi:10.1007/978-3-030-38386-2. ISBN 978-3-030-38385-5. http://link.springer.com/10.1007/978-3-030-38386-2. 
  3. "Cussonia holstii - Useful Tropical Plants". https://tropical.theferns.info/viewtropical.php?id=Cussonia+holstii. 
  4. Chalo, Duncan M. (2015). Evaluation of antimicrobial activity, toxicity and phytochemical screening of selected medicinal plants of losho, narok county, Kenya (PhD thesis). University of Nairobi.

Wikidata ☰ Q12161681 entry