Pterolobium stellatum

Family

Caesalpiniaceae (Leguminosae - Caesalpinioideae)

Chromosome number

Synonyms

Vernacular names

Kantuffa, redwing (En). Mutanda (Sw).

show more data (4)

Origin and geographic distribution

Pterolobium stellatum is widespread in Africa, where it is found from Sudan and Eritrea southwards throughout Central, East and southern Africa to South Africa, but not in Angola, Namibia and Botswana. It also occurs in Yemen.

show more data (12)

Uses

In Ethiopia, since historical times, the infusion of the pounded bark of Pterolobium stellatum, has been a major ingredient for tanning Morocco leather at the same time giving it a bright red colour. It is already mentioned by European travellers in the 19^th century. The crushed leaves also yield a dark red dye for leather; ground and boiled in water to which a little oil or butter has been added to help fix the colour, they are also used to dye clothes for mourning, for dark colours in basketry and to colour mats made from doum palm (Hyphaene thebaica (L.) Mart.) leaves. Formerly the leaves were one of the main ingredients for making black ink, based on the chemical reaction of the tannins of the plant with iron slag or iron filings from the blacksmith. This ink is water resistant and was used by the famous plant collector G.W. Schimper around 1840 to write the labels of his Ethiopian plants. Leather is dyed black by treatment with a mixture of dried leaves and iron filings (iron-oxide) in water.
Pterolobium stellatum is also used for firewood and fodder, and as live fence and ornamental. Because of the sharp, recurved prickles, branches are used to make rat traps. Pterolobium stellatum is sometimes planted to combat the weedy cactus Opuntia. In traditional medicine in East Africa, fresh leaves are chewed or a decoction is drunk to treat tuberculosis and related respiratory diseases. In Kenya a root decoction is used by the Maasai against stomach-ache. Juice of the roots is swallowed to treat snakebites. In Malawi a root infusion is drunk by women against infertility.

show more data (2)

Properties

The leaves of Pterolobium stellatum contain approximately 20% tannin. Neither the tannins of bark and leaves nor their dye content appear to have been investigated and characterized.

Botany

Climbing or straggling shrub, with stems up to 15 m long, armed with recurved prickles. Leaves alternate, with small, early caducous stipules, bipinnately compound with 5–13 pairs of pinnae; rachis armed with paired recurved prickles and often also solitary straight ones; leaflets 7–16 pairs per pinna, oblong or elliptical-oblong, 4–12 mm × 2–5 mm, pubescent to glabrous. Inflorescence a dense raceme 5–18 cm long, aggregated into extensive terminal panicles up to 35 cm × 20 cm. Flowers bisexual, slightly zygomorphic, 5-merous, small, sweetly scented, pale yellow or whitish; pedicel 3–6 mm long; sepals 2–3 mm long, unequal, the lower one hood-shaped and embracing the others, pale green; petals almost equal, oblanceolate-oblong, c. 3 mm × 1.5 mm, pubescent towards base; stamens 10, filaments alternately longer and shorter, 4–5 mm long, pubescent below; ovary superior, 1-celled, style gradually enlarged near apex, stigma transverse. Fruit a brick-red to scarlet, ultimately brown, winged pod, with a stalked, 1-seeded basal portion 3–6 cm long and a much prolonged upper suture broadly winged on its lower side; wing 2–4.5 cm × 1–1.5 cm. Seed ovoid-ellipsoid, c. 11 mm × 6.5 mm, olive-green.
Pterolobium belongs to the tribe Caesalpinieae and comprises about 10 species, 9 occurring in Asia and only a single one in Africa.

Description

Other botanical information

show more data (2)

Growth and development

show more data (1)

Ecology

Pterolobium stellatum is a common shrub, forming thickets in margins and clearings of upland dry evergreen forest, Acacia woodland and riparian formations, mainly at 500–2500 m altitude.

show more data (4)

Propagation and planting

show more data (3)

Management

The leaves are mostly collected from the wild, but Pterolobium stellatum is also cultivated and then propagated by seed, cuttings or wildlings. The seeds germinate better when they are scarified mechanically or chemically. They are sensitive to high temperatures, so hot water treatment before germination is not recommended. The seeds can be easily stored in airtight containers for more than a year without loss of viability. Hedges of Pterolobium stellatum plants are impenetrable because of the sharp prickles and can be pruned to a desired height and width.

Genetic resources and breeding

Pterolobium stellatum is widespread and common in many regions, and not in danger of genetic erosion. Germplasm collections are not known to exist, although some companies offer seeds for sale.

Prospects

Pterolobium stellatum being a widespread multipurpose plant, interesting both as ornamental bush and as impenetrable live fence, could represent a good renewable source of red dye that does not need a mordanting process due to the associated action of tannins. Its medicinal properties are in need of investigation.

Major references

• Bein, E., Habte, B., Jaber, A., Birnie, A. & Tengnäs, B., 1996. Useful trees and shrubs in Eritrea: identification, propagation and management for agricultural and pastoral communities. Technical Handbook No 12. Regional Soil Conservation Unit, Nairobi, Kenya. 422 pp.
• Brenan, J.P.M., 1967. Leguminosae, subfamily Caesalpinioideae. In: Milne-Redhead, E. & Polhill, R.M. (Editors). Flora of Tropical East Africa. Crown Agents for Oversea Governments and Administrations, London, United Kingdom. 230 pp.
• Gelfand, M., Mavi, S., Drummond, R.B. & Ndemera, B., 1985. The traditional medical practitioner in Zimbabwe: his principles of practice and pharmacopoeia. Mambo Press, Gweru, Zimbabwe. 411 pp.
• Roti-Michelozzi, G., 1957. Adumbratio florae Aethiopicae 6. Caesalpiniaceae (excl. gen. Cassia). Webbia 13: 133–228.
• Tournerie, P.J.M., 1986. Colour and dye recipes of Ethiopia. Published by the author, Exeter, United Kingdom. 152 pp.

show more data (7)

Other references

• Beentje, H.J., 1994. Kenya trees, shrubs and lianas. National Museums of Kenya, Nairobi, Kenya. 722 pp.
• Getahun, A., 1976. Some common medicinal and poisonous plants used in Ethiopian folk medicine. Faculty of Science, Addis Ababa University, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. 63 pp.
• Jansen, P.C.M., 1981. Spices, condiments and medicinal plants in Ethiopia, their taxonomy and agricultural significance. Agricultural Research Reports 906. Centre for Agricultural Publishing and Documentation, Wageningen, Netherlands. 327 pp.
• Kokwaro, J.O., 1993. Medicinal plants of East Africa. 2nd Edition. Kenya Literature Bureau, Nairobi, Kenya. 401 pp.
• Teketay, D., 1998. Germination of Acacia origena, A. pilispina and Pterolobium stellatum in response to different pre-sowing seed treatments, temperature and light. Journal of Arid Environments 38(4): 551–560.
• Thulin, M., 1989. Fabaceae (Leguminosae). In: Hedberg, I. & Edwards, S. (Editors). Flora of Ethiopia. Volume 3. Pittosporaceae to Araliaceae. The National Herbarium, Addis Ababa University, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia and Department of Systematic Botany, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden. pp. 49–251.
• Vidal, J.E. & Hul Thol, S., 1974. Révision de genre Pterolobium (Caesalpiniaceae). Bulletin du Muséum National d’Histoire Naturelle, 3e série, 227, Botanique 15: 1 –29.
• Wilczek, R., Léonard, J., Hauman, L., Hoyle, A.C., Steyaert, R., Gilbert, G. & Boutique, R., 1952. Caesalpiniaceae. In: Robyns, W., Staner, P., Demaret, F., Germain, R., Gilbert, G., Hauman, L., Homès, M., Jurion, F., Lebrun, J., Vanden Abeele, M. & Boutique, R. (Editors). Flore du Congo belge et du Ruanda-Urundi. Spermatophytes. Volume 3. Institut National pour l’Étude Agronomique du Congo belge, Brussels, Belgium. pp. 234–554.

show more data (2)

Author(s)

•	P.C.M. Jansen PROTA Network Office Europe, Wageningen University, P.O. Box 341, 6700 AH Wageningen, Netherlands

Editors

•	P.C.M. Jansen PROTA Network Office Europe, Wageningen University, P.O. Box 341, 6700 AH Wageningen, Netherlands
•	D. Cardon CNRS, CIHAM-UMR 5648, 18, quai Claude-Bernard, 69365 Lyon, Cedex 07, France

General editors

•	R.H.M.J. Lemmens PROTA Network Office Europe, Wageningen University, P.O. Box 341, 6700 AH Wageningen, Netherlands
•	L.P.A. Oyen PROTA Network Office Europe, Wageningen University, P.O. Box 341, 6700 AH Wageningen, Netherlands

Correct citation of this article

Jansen, P.C.M., 2005. Pterolobium stellatum (Forssk.) Brenan. [Internet] Record from PROTA4U. Jansen, P.C.M. & Cardon, D. (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 60 book citations related to *Pterolobium stellatum (Forssk.) Brenan*. Click on "show more" to view them.

Citation in web searches
	There are 100 citation in web searches related to *Pterolobium stellatum (Forssk.) Brenan*. Click on "show more" to view them.

Citation in scholarly articles
	There are 98 citation in scholarly articles related to *Pterolobium stellatum (Forssk.) Brenan*. Click on "show more" to view them.

Citation in Afrirefs
	There are 5 citations in Afrirefs related to *Pterolobium stellatum (Forssk.) Brenan*. Click on "show more" to view them.