Anthocleista grandiflora Gilg

Family

Loganiaceae (APG: Gentianaceae)

show more data (11)

Synonyms

Anthocleista zambesiaca Baker (1895), Anthocleista keniensis Summerh. (1926).

show more data (14)

Vernacular names

Cabbage tree, forest fever tree, forest big-leaf (En). Mkungu-maji, mtambuu-mwitu (Sw).

show more data (5)

Origin and geographic distribution

Anthocleista grandiflora occurs from eastern DR Congo, Kenya and Uganda south to north-eastern South Africa and Swaziland. It also occurs in Comoros, Mayotte and Madagascar. As an ornamental, it is sometimes planted in gardens in southern United States.

show more data (15)

Uses

The wood (trade name: mutunguru) is sometimes used for light construction, light flooring, joinery, interior trim, furniture, crates, boxes, carvings and vats. It is suitable for veneer, plywood, hardboard, particle board and pulpwood. It is often used as firewood.
The tree is attractive and is planted for amenity and shade. In DR Congo a leaf decoction is drunk to treat wounds of teats. Leaf ash mixed with oil is locally applied for the same problem. In Tanzania leaf decoctions are taken to treat malaria, and root decoctions to treat diarrhoea, asthma, kidney diseases and tapeworm. The bark is chewed to treat diarrhoea, and in Zimbabwe bark decoctions are used as an enema to treat epilepsy. In South Africa bark decoctions are taken to treat diabetes, high blood pressure and venereal diseases. In Madagascar bark decoctions or infusions are taken or a piece of bark is chewed to treat diarrhoea and fever. A bark decoction mixed with baking soda is taken to treat hepatitis. The leaves are reported to be a good tonic, although laxative at large doses. The smoke of burning bark is inhaled to drive away bad spirits. A piece of root is braided in the hair as a lucky charm.

Production and international trade

The wood of Anthocleista grandiflora is mainly locally used and rarely traded. The bark and leaves are popular for their medicinal use and are found in local markets.

Properties

The heartwood is white or pale brown and indistinctly demarcated from the sapwood. The grain is straight, sometimes spirally, texture medium to coarse. Radial surfaces show a stripe or ribbon figure. The wood is odourless or smells slightly of peas.
The wood is medium-weight, with a density of 580–640 kg/m³ at 12% moisture content. It air dries well, with occasional checking. The rates of shrinkage are moderate, from green to oven dry 3.1–4.0% radial and 5.1–6.5% tangential. At 12% moisture content, the modulus of rupture is about 79 N/mm², modulus of elasticity 10,700 N/mm², compression parallel to grain 46 N/mm² and shear 12 N/mm².
The wood is easy to saw and work by hand and machine tools. It finishes and polishes well, but the use of a filler is needed. The nailing and gluing characteristics are good. The wood is rather soft and brittle, but is suitable for veneering. It is perishable, and liable to blue stain and termite attacks. The sapwood is susceptible to attack by Lyctus beetles. The heartwood is moderately resistant to preservatives, but the sapwood is permeable.
The triterpenoids baruol, 3-deacetylmongolenin, anthocleistone, 6-ketoanthocleistone and lupenone, as well as the coumarin scopoletin and (+)-de-O-methyllasiodiplodin have been isolated from the bark and roots. 3-Deacetylmongolenin was also isolated from the leaves, whereas the root bark also yielded lupenone and the seco-iridoid sweroside. The bark further yielded the triterpenoids bauerenol, bauerenone, 6-ketobauerenone and grandiflorol, the iridoid glucosides sweroside and erythrocentaurine as well as grandifloroside and methylgrandifloroside. The chloroform and carbon tetrachloride soluble fractions of a leaf extract showed significant antibacterial activity against Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Bacillus subtilis in vitro. A methanolic leaf extract, however, did not show significant antimalarial activity against Plasmodium falciparum in vitro. A methanolic bark extract showed a marked reduction of the motor activity of frogs as well as a reduction in the amplitude and rhythm of heartbeat.

Botany

Medium-sized tree up to 25(–35) m tall; bole straight, up to 55(–100) cm in diameter; bark surface smooth, transversely striate, pale brown-grey; crown with relatively short branches. Leaves opposite, clustered at ends of branches, simple, leaves of a pair unequal; stipules absent; petiole usually absent, sometimes up to 2 cm long; blade narrowly obovate to obovate-oblong, 20–70(–120) cm × 8–35(–50) cm, base cuneate to rounded, apex rounded or nearly acute, margins entire or minutely toothed, papery, glabrous, pinnately veined with 8–17 pairs of secondary veins. Inflorescence an erect terminal cyme 15–45 cm long, glabrous; peduncle up to 25 cm long; bracts broadly ovate to deltoid, 4–8 mm long, leathery. Flowers bisexual, regular, fragrant; pedicel 4–10 mm long; sepals 4, free, orbicular, 0.5–1 cm long, fleshy to leathery; corolla tube 2.5–3(–4) cm long, lobes 10–13(–16), oblong to lanceolate, 1.5–2 cm long, recurved, fleshy, greenish outside, creamy white inside; stamens alternating with corolla lobes, inserted at mouth of corolla, joined at base into a short ring; ovary superior, ovoid to narrowly ovoid, 7–9 mm long, style 2.5–4 cm long, stigma almost globose, 2–3 mm in diameter. Fruit an ovoid to ellipsoid fleshy berry 3–4 cm × 1.5–2.5 cm, green, pointed to rounded at apex, slightly rough, many-seeded. Seeds obliquely ovoid-orbicular, c. 2.5 mm × 1.5–2.5 mm, dark brown.
Growth of young trees is rapid, but their water requirement is high. In southern Africa Anthocleista grandiflora flowers from September to January, and fruits from January to June.
Anthocleista comprises about 15 species and occurs in tropical Africa, including Comoros and Madagascar.

Description

Other botanical information

Growth and development

Ecology

Anthocleista grandiflora occurs along rivers in forest areas and open swampy localities, also in gallery forest, and is common in high rainfall, mountainous regions, from sea-level up to 2300 m altitude. It does not tolerate frost.

show more data (2)

Management

Anthocleista grandiflora can be propagated by seed, which needs to be harvested when completely ripe; they are cleaned and dried for later use. Anthocleista grandiflora can also be propagated by root suckers. It coppices easily.

Genetic resources and breeding

Anthocleista grandiflora is common throughout its large area of distribution and is therefore not threatened by genetic erosion.

Prospects

The wood of Anthocleista grandiflora is locally used for light construction and other purposes where durability is not required. It will remain of local importance only. However, the phytochemical analyses of different plant parts reveal interesting components. Pharmacological screening of these compounds is needed.
The long clear bole and the small crown of large leaves and fragrant flowers make it an interesting species for gardening purposes.

Major references

• Bolza, E. & Keating, W.G., 1972. African timbers: the properties, uses and characteristics of 700 species. Division of Building Research, CSIRO, Melbourne, Australia. 710 pp.
• Chikamai, B.N., Githiomi, J.K., Gachathi, F.N. & Njenga, M.G., undated. Commercial timber resources of Kenya. Kenya Forestry Research Institute (KEFRI), Nairobi, Kenya. 164 pp.
• Coates Palgrave, K., 2002. Trees of southern Africa. 3rd Edition. Struik Publishers, Cape Town, South Africa. 1212 pp.
• Eloff, J.N., 1998. The presence of antibacterial compounds in Anthocleista grandiflora (Loganiaceae). South African Journal of Botany 64(3): 209–212.
• Leeuwenberg, A.J.M., 1961. The Loganiaceae of Africa. 1. Anthocleista. Acta Botanica Neerlandica 10: 1–53.

show more data (21)

Other references

• Baerts, M. & Lehmann, J., 2012. Anthocleista grandiflora. [Internet] Prelude Medicinal Plants Database. Metafro-Infosys, Royal Museum for Central Africa, Tervuren, Belgium http://www.metafro.be/prelude. Accessed April 2012.
• Beentje, H.J., 1994. Kenya trees, shrubs and lianas. National Museums of Kenya, Nairobi, Kenya. 722 pp.
• Chapelle, J.P., 1976. Grandifloroside and methylgrandifloroside, new iridoid glucosides from Anthocleista grandiflora. Phytochemistry 15(8): 1305–1307.
• Clarkson, C., Maharaj, V.J., Crouch, N.R., Grace, O.M., Pillay, P., Matsabisa, M.G., Bhagwandin, N., Smith, P.J. & Folb, P.I., 2004. In vitro antiplasmodial activity of medicinal plants native to or naturalised in South Africa. Journal of Ethnopharmacology 92: 177–191.
• Gurib-Fakim, A. & Brendler, T., 2004. Medicinal and aromatic plants of Indian Ocean Islands: Madagascar, Comoros, Seychelles and Mascarenes. Medpharm, Stuttgart, Germany. 568 pp.
• Lovett, J.C., Ruffo, C.K., Gereau, R.E. & Taplin, J.R.D., 2007. Field Guide to the moist forest trees of Tanzania. Frontier Publishing, United Kingdom. 303 pp.
• Magadula, J.J., Mulholland, D.A. & Crouch, N.R., 2008. Triterpenoids from Anthocleista grandiflora (Gentianaceae). Natural Product Communications 3(6): 885–889.
• Mulholland, D.A., Crouch, N.R., Coombes, P.H., Magadula, J.J. & Randrianarivelojosia, M., 2005. Unusual triterpenoids from African medicinal plants. 11th NAPRECA Symposium Book of Proceedings, Antananarivo, Madagascar. pp. 20–26.
• Palmer, E. & Pitman, N., 1972–1974. Trees of southern Africa, covering all known indigenous species in the Republic of South Africa, South-West Africa, Botswana, Lesotho and Swaziland. 3 volumes. Balkema, Cape Town, South Africa. 2235 pp.
• Terashima, H., Kalala, S. & Malasi, N., 1991. Ethnobotany of the Lega in the tropical rain forest of eastern Zaire: part one, zone de Mwenga. African Study Monographs, Supplement 15: 1–61.

show more data (4)

Sources of illustration

Author(s)

•	G.H. Schmelzer PROTA Network Office Europe, Wageningen University, P.O. Box 341, 6700 AH Wageningen, Netherlands

Editors

•	R.H.M.J. Lemmens PROTA Network Office Europe, Wageningen University, P.O. Box 341, 6700 AH Wageningen, Netherlands
•	D. Louppe CIRAD, Département Environnements et Sociétés, Cirad es-dir, Campus international de Baillarguet, TA C 105 / D (Bât. C, Bur. 113), 34398 Montpellier Cédex 5, France
•	A.A. Oteng-Amoako Forestry Research Institute of Ghana (FORIG), University P.O. Box 63, KNUST, Kumasi, Ghana

Associate editors

•	E.A. Obeng Forestry Research Institute of Ghana (FORIG), University P.O. Box 63, KNUST, Kumasi, Ghana

Photo editor

•	G.H. Schmelzer PROTA Network Office Europe, Wageningen University, P.O. Box 341, 6700 AH Wageningen, Netherlands

Correct citation of this article

Schmelzer, G.H., 2012. Anthocleista grandiflora Gilg. [Internet] Record from PROTA4U. Lemmens, R.H.M.J., Louppe, D. & Oteng-Amoako, A.A. (Editors). PROTA (Plant Resources of Tropical Africa / Ressources végétales de l’Afrique tropicale), Wageningen, Netherlands. <http://www.prota4u.org/search.asp>. Accessed .

Additional references

Citation in books
	There are 128 book citations related to *Anthocleista grandiflora Gilg*. Click on "show more" to view them.

Citation in web searches
	There are 152 citation in web searches related to *Anthocleista grandiflora Gilg*. Click on "show more" to view them.

Citation in scholarly articles
	There are 86 citation in scholarly articles related to *Anthocleista grandiflora Gilg*. Click on "show more" to view them.

Citation in Afrirefs
	There are 5 citations in Afrirefs related to *Anthocleista grandiflora Gilg*. Click on "show more" to view them.

Citation in Wikipedia
	There are 6 Wikipedia citations related to *Anthocleista grandiflora Gilg*. Click on "show more" to view them.