''Lannea edulis'' is a small deciduous

shrub A shrub or bush is a small to medium-sized perennial woody plant. Unlike herbaceous plants, shrubs have persistent woody stems above the ground. Shrubs can be either deciduous or evergreen. They are distinguished from trees by their multiple ...

that commonly occurs in East and Southern Africa, it belongs to the

Anacardiaceae The Anacardiaceae, commonly known as the cashew family or sumac family, are a family of flowering plants, including about 83 genera with about 860 known species. Members of the Anacardiaceae bear fruits that are drupes and in some cases produce ...

family.

Description

It has leafy branches produced from underground rootstock (sub-shrub). Leaves are imparipinnately compound, with about 2-4 pairs of leaflets per pinnae; the leaf-blade is broadly ovate to oblong with a shiny and

coriaceous This glossary of botanical terms is a list of definitions of terms and concepts relevant to botany and plants in general. Terms of plant morphology are included here as well as at the more specific Glossary of plant morphology and Glossary ...

surface, measuring about 9-20 cm long and 9-12 cm wide. Flowers are small, yellowish to cream colored and are produced on spikes or panicles near the ground, typically appearing before the leaves. The fruit is a berry that turns scarlet-purple when ripe.

Distribution

The species is endemic to parts of Angola, can also be found in East African countries like Tanzania and in Southern African.

Uses

Root extracts are used in traditional medical practices by various communities; in Zambia it is used to treat problems associated with

schistosomiasis Schistosomiasis, also known as snail fever, bilharzia, and Katayama fever is a neglected tropical helminthiasis, disease caused by parasitism, parasitic Schistosoma, flatworms called schistosomes. It affects both humans and animals. It affects ...

gonorrhea Gonorrhoea or gonorrhea, colloquially known as the clap, is a sexually transmitted infection (STI) caused by the bacterium ''Neisseria gonorrhoeae''. Infection may involve the genitals, mouth, or rectum. Gonorrhea is spread through sexual c ...

and

diarrhea Diarrhea (American English), also spelled diarrhoea or diarrhœa (British English), is the condition of having at least three loose, liquid, or watery bowel movements in a day. It often lasts for a few days and can result in dehydration d ...

, in parts of South Africa, it is used to treat angina pectoris. Fruit is edible and eaten by locals.

References

{{Taxonbar, from=Q15545115 Flora of East Tropical Africa Flora of South Africa edulis