Edit History
Anthostema aubryanum Baill. [family EUPHORBIACEAE]
Date Updated: 30 April 2005
Herbarium
Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew (K)
Collection
Useful Plants of West Tropical Africa
Resource Type
Reference Sources
Entry From
Burkill, H.M. 1985. The useful plants of west tropical Africa, Vol 2
Names
Anthostema aubryanum Baill. [family EUPHORBIACEAE]
Common names
IVORY COAST: ABE mauli (A.Chev.) meuli (Aub.) ANYI sessé (Aub.) KYAMA anaya (B&D) GHANA: VULGAR kyirikusa (DF) AHANTA kyirikasa = hates talking (E&A) kyrikesah (Port Develop. Synd.) ANYI sese (FRI) ANYI-AOWIN kyirikesa (DF) NZEMA kyirikesa (FRI; JMD) NIGERIA: EDO uhruareze (auctt.) YORUBA òdògbo (auctt.)
Uses
latex Medicines: generally healing latex seed Medicines: laxatives, etc. latex Medicines: kidneys, diuretics leaf Phytochemistry: tannins, astringents bark Phytochemistry: fish-poisons Products: exudations-gums, resins, etc. Products: fuel and lighting
Description
A tree to 26 m high with a straight bole to 16 m long by 1.60 m girth, in freshwater swamp-forest and on river-banks, from Ivory Coast to S Nigeria, and in Gabon, Cabinda and Príncipe.The wood is white and soft (2). It is a good firewood (9).Latex is present in all parts of the tree, and is most abundant in the bark. It is very caustic and may cause blindness (7, 8, 9), though this may be temporary (1). Ophthalmia caused by latex is said to be treatable by instillation of human milk (6, 8). The latex is a drastic purgative, two or three drips being a dose for a large person in Gabon (8, 9) and to 3–9 drips according to weight of the patient and his resistance in Congo (Brazzaville) (3). It is not prudent to give to pregnant women, nor to children (3). Toxicity appears to be confined to the fresh state (5), but it is taken in a coagulated state in Congo (Brazzaville) at a ‘thumbnail piece’ with tapioca or ripe banana for a dose (3). The fresh latex is used to purge and to obtain diuresis in generalised oedemas in Ivory Coast (5).In Benin (Nigeria) the latex is applied to sores (7).The seeds are also purgative (8, 9).The bark is used in Gabon as a fish-poison (9).Tannin has been reputed to be present in the leaves but no other active principle has been recorded (4).
References
References:1. Ainslie, 1937: sp. no. 35. 2. Aubréville, 1959: 2: 30. 3. Bouquet, 1969: 110. 4. Bouquet, 1972: 23. 5. Bouquet & Debray, 1974: 83. 6. Irvine, 1961: 212–3. 7. Kennedy 1737, K. 8. Walker, 1953,a: 34. 9. Walker & Sillans, 1961: 161.
Contributor
Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew (K)
Date Updated: 30 April 2005
Herbarium
Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew (K)
Collection
Useful Plants of West Tropical Africa
Resource Type
Reference Sources
Entry From
Burkill, H.M. 1985. The useful plants of west tropical Africa, Vol 2
Names
Anthostema aubryanum Baill. [family EUPHORBIACEAE]
Common names
IVORY COAST: ABE mauli (A.Chev.) meuli (Aub.) ANYI sessé (Aub.) KYAMA anaya (B&D) GHANA: VULGAR kyirikusa (DF) AHANTA kyirikasa = hates talking (E&A) kyrikesah (Port Develop. Synd.) ANYI sese (FRI) ANYI-AOWIN kyirikesa (DF) NZEMA kyirikesa (FRI; JMD) NIGERIA: EDO uhruareze (auctt.) YORUBA òdògbo (auctt.)
Uses
latex Medicines: generally healing latex seed Medicines: laxatives, etc. latex Medicines: kidneys, diuretics leaf Phytochemistry: tannins, astringents bark Phytochemistry: fish-poisons Products: exudations-gums, resins, etc. Products: fuel and lighting
Description
A tree to 26 m high with a straight bole to 16 m long by 1.60 m girth, in freshwater swamp-forest and on river-banks, from Ivory Coast to S Nigeria, and in Gabon, Cabinda and Príncipe.The wood is white and soft (2). It is a good firewood (9).Latex is present in all parts of the tree, and is most abundant in the bark. It is very caustic and may cause blindness (7, 8, 9), though this may be temporary (1). Ophthalmia caused by latex is said to be treatable by instillation of human milk (6, 8). The latex is a drastic purgative, two or three drips being a dose for a large person in Gabon (8, 9) and to 3–9 drips according to weight of the patient and his resistance in Congo (Brazzaville) (3). It is not prudent to give to pregnant women, nor to children (3). Toxicity appears to be confined to the fresh state (5), but it is taken in a coagulated state in Congo (Brazzaville) at a ‘thumbnail piece’ with tapioca or ripe banana for a dose (3). The fresh latex is used to purge and to obtain diuresis in generalised oedemas in Ivory Coast (5).In Benin (Nigeria) the latex is applied to sores (7).The seeds are also purgative (8, 9).The bark is used in Gabon as a fish-poison (9).Tannin has been reputed to be present in the leaves but no other active principle has been recorded (4).
References
References:1. Ainslie, 1937: sp. no. 35. 2. Aubréville, 1959: 2: 30. 3. Bouquet, 1969: 110. 4. Bouquet, 1972: 23. 5. Bouquet & Debray, 1974: 83. 6. Irvine, 1961: 212–3. 7. Kennedy 1737, K. 8. Walker, 1953,a: 34. 9. Walker & Sillans, 1961: 161.
Contributor
Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew (K)
╳
We're sorry. You don't appear to have permission to access the item.
Full access to these resources typically requires affiliation with a partnering organization. (For example, researchers are often granted access through their affiliation with a university library.)
If you have an institutional affiliation that provides you access, try logging in via your institution
Have access with an individual account? Login here
If you would like to learn more about access options or believe you received this message in error, please contact us.