''Griffonia'' is a genus of central African

flowering plant Flowering plants are plants that bear flowers and fruits, and form the clade Angiospermae (). The term angiosperm is derived from the Ancient Greek, Greek words (; 'container, vessel') and (; 'seed'), meaning that the seeds are enclosed with ...

s in the legume family,

Fabaceae Fabaceae () or Leguminosae,International Code of Nomen ...

. It belongs to the subfamily

Cercidoideae Cercidoideae is a subfamily in the pea family, Fabaceae. Well-known members include ''Cercis'' (redbuds), including species widely cultivated as ornamental trees in the United States and Europe, '' Bauhinia'', widely cultivated as an ornamental t ...

. ''Griffonia'' is known to have a high concentration of

5-HTP 5-Hydroxytryptophan (5-HTP), used medically as oxitriptan, is a naturally occurring amino acid and chemical precursor as well as a metabolic intermediate in the biosynthesis of the neurotransmitter serotonin. 5-HTP can be manufactured and us ...

in its seeds. The genus includes four species of scandent shrubs and lianas native to west and west-central tropical Africa, ranging from Liberia to DR Congo and Angola. They grow in humid tropical forests, swamp forests, and thickets in coastal wooded grassland.''Griffonia'' Baill.
''

Plants of the World Online Plants of the World Online (POWO) is an online taxonomic database published by the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. History Following the Convention on Biological Diversity, the Royal Botanic Gardens in Kew launched Plants of the World Online i ...

''. Retrieved 31 August 2023. ''G. physocarpa, G. speciosa'', and ''G. tessmannii'' are native to west-central Africa, with ''G. physocarpa'' having the widest distribution. ''G. simplicifolia'' ranges from Gabon to Liberia.

Taxonomy

The genus ''Griffonia'' was named by Henri Baillon in honour of his friend and fellow physician

Marie-Théophile Griffon du Bellay Marie-Théophile Griffon du Bellay (14 August 1829 – 10 November 1908) was a French physician, naval surgeon, explorer and ethnobotanist. Life Marie-Théophile was born at Rochefort, Charente-Maritime, Rochefort, the middle child of t ...

, explorer of

Gabon Gabon ( ; ), officially the Gabonese Republic (), is a country on the Atlantic coast of Central Africa, on the equator, bordered by Equatorial Guinea to the northwest, Cameroon to the north, the Republic of the Congo to the east and south, and ...

, pioneer in the study of

sleeping sickness African trypanosomiasis is an insect-borne parasitic infection of humans and other animals. Human African trypanosomiasis (HAT), also known as African sleeping sickness or simply sleeping sickness, is caused by the species '' Trypanosoma b ...

and also of the African

entheogen Entheogens are psychoactive substances used in spiritual and religious contexts to induce altered states of consciousness. Hallucinogens such as the psilocybin found in so-called "magic" mushrooms have been used in sacred contexts since ancie ...

Iboga, source of the alkaloid

ibogaine Ibogaine is a psychoactive indole alkaloid derived from plants such as '' Tabernanthe iboga'', characterized by hallucinogenic and oneirogenic effects. Traditionally used by Central African foragers, it has undergone controversial research ...

Species

''Griffonia'' comprises the following species: * ''

Griffonia physocarpa ''Griffonia'' is a genus of central African flowering plants in the legume family, Fabaceae. It belongs to the subfamily Cercidoideae. ''Griffonia'' is known to have a high concentration of 5-HTP in its seeds. The genus includes four species of ...

'' Baill. * ''

Griffonia simplicifolia ''Griffonia simplicifolia'' (syn. ''Bandeiraea simplicifolia'' Benth.) is a woody climbing shrub native to West Africa and Central Africa. It grows to about 3 m, and bears greenish flowers followed by black pods. Taxonomy and early study The ge ...

'' ( M.Vahl ex

DC. Augustin Pyramus (or Pyrame) de Candolle (, , ; 4 February 17789 September 1841) was a Swiss botanist. René Louiche Desfontaines launched de Candolle's botanical career by recommending him at a herbarium. Within a couple of years de Candolle ...

) Baill. * ''

Griffonia speciosa ''Griffonia'' is a genus of central African flowering plants in the legume family, Fabaceae. It belongs to the subfamily Cercidoideae. ''Griffonia'' is known to have a high concentration of 5-HTP in its seeds. The genus includes four species of ...

'' ( Welw. ''ex''

Benth. George Bentham (22 September 1800 – 10 September 1884) was an English botanist, described by the weed botanist Duane Isely as "the premier systematic botanist of the nineteenth century". Born into a distinguished family, he initially studie ...

) Taub. * ''

Griffonia tessmannii ''Griffonia'' is a genus of central African flowering plants in the legume family, Fabaceae. It belongs to the subfamily Cercidoideae. ''Griffonia'' is known to have a high concentration of 5-HTP in its seeds. The genus includes four species of ...

'' ( De Wild.) Compère

References

Cercidoideae Fabaceae genera Taxa named by Henri Ernest Baillon Flora of the Afrotropical realm {{Fabaceae-stub