Tuesday, January 19, 2016

Voacanga africana

Voacanga africana
Source: www.zimbabweflora.co.zw, photographer BT Wursten
Botanical Name: Voacanga africana
Common Name: Small-fruited Voacanga
Family: Apocynaceae
Type of Plant: Tropical African shrub or small tree
Habit: 
Growth Rate: Slow
10-Year Height: < 6'
Mature Height: 20'
Leaves: Opposite with axillary glands, sessile, broadly elliptic to obovate, apex rather abruptly and distinctly pointed.
Flowers: Yellow or white. In large terminal and axillary heads, strongly and unpleasantly scented. November-December.
Fruit: Asymmetrically ovoid to round, mottled green with brown lenticels, turning pale brown when dry.
Buds/New Growth: 
Stem/Bark: Bark grayish, smooth. Branches have conspicuous lenticels. Milky latex present.
Culture: 
Pruning: 
Pests/Diseases: 
Landscape Uses: 
Additional Information: Critically Endangered. From Wikipedia: "The bark and seeds of the tree are used in Ghana as a poison, stimulant, aphrodisiac, and ceremonial psychedelic. These effects are due to the presence of a complex mixture of iboga alkaloids such as voacangine, voacamine, vobtusine, amataine, akuammidine, tabersonine, coronaridine and vobtusine."
Google images of Voacanga africana

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