''Combretum molle'', the velvet bushwillow, is a medium to large tree species in the genus '' Combretum'' found in western, eastern and southern Africa. The larvae of ''

Parosmodes morantii ''Parosmodes morantii'', the Morant's skipper or Morant's orange, is a butterfly of the family Hesperiidae. It is found in KwaZulu-Natal, Eswatini, Mozambique, Botswana, Zimbabwe and from western Kenya to Ghana. The wingspan is 28–31 mm f ...

'' and ''

Acalyptris molleivora ''Acalyptris molleivora'' is a moth of the family Nepticulidae. It was described by Scoble in 1980. It is known from South Africa (it was described from Pretoria). The larvae feed on ''Combretum molle ''Combretum molle'', the velvet bushwill ...

'' feed on ''C. molle''. It is recorded to contain

antioxidant Antioxidants are compounds that inhibit oxidation, a chemical reaction that can produce free radicals. This can lead to polymerization and other chain reactions. They are frequently added to industrial products, such as fuels and lubricant ...

s such as punicalagin, which is also found in the other Myrtale pomegranates (''Punica granatum''), a somewhat related plant. It also contains the 1alpha-hydroxycycloartenoid

saponin Saponins (Latin "sapon", soap + "-in", one of), also selectively referred to as triterpene glycosides, are bitter-tasting usually toxic plant-derived organic chemicals that have a foamy quality when agitated in water. They are widely distributed ...

s mollic acid

glucoside A glucoside is a glycoside that is derived from glucose. Glucosides are common in plants, but rare in animals. Glucose is produced when a glucoside is hydrolysed by purely chemical means, or decomposed by fermentation or enzymes. The name was o ...

and mollic acid 3β-D-

xyloside A xyloside is a type of glycoside derived from the sugar xylose. Proteoglycan (PG) synthesis is initiated by the transfer of D-xylose from UDP-xylose to a serine residue in core proteins. This natural primer acts as a template for the assembly ...

. Extracts from the bark of ''C. molle'' show antibacterial and

antifungal An antifungal medication, also known as an antimycotic medication, is a pharmaceutical fungicide or fungistatic used to treat and prevent mycosis such as athlete's foot, ringworm, candidiasis (thrush), serious systemic infections such as crypto ...

as well as ''in vitro'' antiprotozoal activities. Mollic acid glucoside shows cardiovascular effects. Combretum molle, nuwe loof, b, Faerie Glen NR.jpg, Combretum molle, loof en bloeisels, Jan Celliers Park, naby.jpg, Combretum molle00.jpg,

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* molle Trees of Africa Flora of East Tropical Africa Flora of Northeast Tropical Africa Flora of South Tropical Africa Flora of Southern Africa Flora of West Tropical Africa Flora of West-Central Tropical Africa Plants described in 1827 Taxa named by Robert Brown (botanist, born 1773) {{Myrtales-stub

See also

References

External links