Tournefortia acuminata (PROTA)

Plant Resources of Tropical Africa Introduction

List of species

General importance
Geographic coverage Africa
Geographic coverage World
Medicinal
Conservation status

Tournefortia acuminata DC.

Protologue: Prodr. 9: 520 (1845).

Family: Boraginaceae

Vernacular names

• Bois de Laurent-Martin (Fr).

Origin and geographic distribution

Tournefortia acuminata is endemic to Réunion.

Uses

The leaves of Tournefortia acuminata are considered to have diuretic properties and are traditionally used to treat kidney stones in Réunion.

Properties

The presence of alkaloids has been confirmed by general tests on Tournefortia acuminata but otherwise nothing is known of its chemistry. Laboratory tests with leaf extracts of Tournefortia acuminata did not confirm the diuretic properties claimed in folk medicine. Leaf extracts of Tournefortia argentea L.f. have been proven efficient in counteracting poisoning by ciguatoxins (produced by the dinoflagellate Gambierdiscus toxicus and transferred by fish): they counteract the neurocellular effects and have beneficial action on the gastro-intestinal disturbances. Pyrrolizidine alkaloids have been isolated from twigs of Tournefortia argentea. Several phenolic compounds, including salicylic acid and tournefolin A–C, have been isolated from the stems of Tournefortia sarmentosa Lam., a species from tropical Asia that is widely used medicinally.

Description

Shrub or small tree; stem with minute, closely appressed brown or golden hairs or glabrous. Leaves alternate, simple and entire; blade obovate to elliptical, 12–17 cm × 3.5–7 cm, acute at base and at apex, with 10–15 pairs of veins. Inflorescence a terminal, dichotomously branched, scorpioid cyme. Flowers bisexual, regular, 5-merous, sessile; calyx 1.5–2 mm long, sparsely hairy; corolla white, tube 3.5–7 mm long, lobes c. 4 mm wide. Fruit a small, white, globose drupe c. 6 mm in diameter, splitting into two 2-seeded parts.

Other botanical information

Tournefortia and related genera are in need of revision. Tournefortia comprises about 100 species, most of them native in America and with about 15 species in the Old World, 2 in mainland Africa and 4 endemic to the Indian Ocean islands.

Tournefortia argentea

The widespread Tournefortia argentea L.f. (synonym: Argusia argentea (L.f.) Heine), ‘octopus tree’, ‘veloutier blanc’ or ‘bois tabac’, occurs on coastal beaches from Kenya to Mozambique, the Indian Ocean islands and through Asia to Australia. The leaves are used as a poison antidote in Vietnam and New Caledonia; they are eaten raw as a vegetable and smoked like tobacco.

Ecology

Tournefortia acuminata is found throughout Réunion, but is nowhere abundant. It tends to flower in the cyclone season (November–April).

Genetic resources

In Réunion Tournefortia acuminata is considered rare and vulnerable, and in need of protection. The other African Tournefortia species, with the exception of Tournefortia argentea, are uncommon and vulnerable as well.

Prospects

Almost nothing is known about the phytochemistry and pharmacological properties of the African Tournefortia species. Research into the chemistry and pharmacology is long overdue. However, they are likely to remain of limited importance. Survival of the vulnerable species should be assured by protection of their habitats.

Major references

• Adsersen, A. & Adsersen, H., 1997. Plants from Réunion Island with alleged antihypertensive and diuretic effects - an experimental and ethnobotanical evaluation. Journal of Ethnopharmacology 58: 189–206.

• Gurib-Fakim, A. & Brendler, T., 2004. Medicinal and aromatic plants of Indian Ocean Islands: Madagascar, Comoros, Seychelles and Mascarenes. Medpharm, Stuttgart, Germany. 568 pp.

Other references

• Aguilar, N.O., 2003. Tournefortia L. In: Lemmens, R.H.M.J. & Bunyapraphatsara, N. (Editors). Plant Resources of South-East Asia No 12(3). Medicinal and poisonous plants 3. Backhuys Publishers, Leiden, Netherlands. pp. 402–404.

• Diane, N., Förther, H. & Hilger, H.H., 2002. A systematic analysis of Heliotropium, Tournefortia, and allied taxa of the Heliotropiaceae (Boraginales) based on ITS1 sequences and morphological data. American Journal of Botany 89(2): 287–295.

• Friedmann, F., 1994. Flore des Seychelles: Dicotylédones. Editions de l’ORSTOM, Paris, France. 663 pp.

• Johnston, I.M., 1935. Studies in the Boraginaceae, XI. Journal of the Arnold Arboretum 16(2): 145–205.

• Lin, Y.L., Tsai, Y.L., Kuo, Y.H., Liu, Y.H. & Shiao, M.S., 1999. Phenolic compounds from Tournefortia sarmentosa. Journal of Natural Products 62(11): 1500–1503.

• Miller, J.S., 2001. Tournefortia kirkii (I.M.Johnston) J.S.Mill. (Boraginaceae): A new combination for a species from Madagascar. Adansonia 23(2): 297–301.

• Riedl, H., 1997. Boraginaceae. In: Flora Malesiana, Series 1. Volume 13. Rijksherbarium/ Hortus Botanicus, Leiden, Netherlands. pp. 43–144.

Author(s)

• C.H. Bosch, PROTA Network Office Europe, Wageningen University, P.O. Box 341, 6700 AH Wageningen, Netherlands

Correct citation of this article

Bosch, C.H., 2006. Tournefortia acuminata A.DC. In: Schmelzer, G.H. & Gurib-Fakim, A. (Editors). PROTA (Plant Resources of Tropical Africa / Ressources végétales de l’Afrique tropicale), Wageningen, Netherlands. Accessed 29 May 2025.

• See the Prota4U database.