''Atroxima afzeliana'' is a species of plant in the milkwort family (

Polygalaceae The Polygalaceae or the milkwort family are made up of flowering plants in the order Fabales. They have a near-cosmopolitan range, with about 27 genera and ''ca''. 900 known species of herbs, shrubs and trees. Over half of the species are in on ...

). It is

endemic Endemism is the state of a species being found only in a single defined geographic location, such as an island, state, nation, country or other defined zone; organisms that are indigenous to a place are not endemic to it if they are also foun ...

to rainforests and forest fringes with altitudes below in Western Tropical Africa. It was first described in 1868 by Daniel Oliver, at which point it was described as a new Carpolobia or a new genus. In 1905, Otto Stapf classified it into the

atroxima ''Atroxima'' is a plant genus in the milkwort family (Polygalaceae). It is endemism, endemic to Western Tropical Africa. It was first described in 1905 by Otto Stapf (botanist), Otto Stapf in the ''Journal of the Linnean Society''. It was initial ...

genus.

Description

''Atroxima afzeliana'' is a

glabrous Glabrousness () is the technical term for a lack of hair, down, setae, trichomes, or other such covering. A glabrous surface may be a natural characteristic of all or part of a plant or animal, or be due to loss because of a physical condition, ...

tree or shrub with a height of up to . It has sweeping branches and is sometimes

scandent A vine is any plant with a growth habit of trailing or scandent (that is, climbing) stems, lianas, or runners. The word ''vine'' can also refer to such stems or runners themselves, for instance, when used in wicker work.Jackson; Benjamin; Day ...

. Its leaves are leathery and elliptical. They are long and wide. It produces 6 to 10 flowers which are mauve or cream-coloured. It produces an orange, roughly spherical, crustaceous fruit which is about in diameter and edible.

Uses

Apart from the fruit being edible, the stem, root, and leaves of the plant are used as medicine to treat various illnesses.

References

Polygalaceae {{Polygalaceae-stub