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<big>''[[Carpolobia alba]]'' G.Don</big>
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{{DISPLAYTITLE:''Carpolobia alba'' (PROTA)}}
:Protologue: Gen. hist. 1: 370 (1831).
The roots contain complex triterpene glycosides, which possibly have antiplasmodial properties.
== Botany Description ==
Shrub or small tree up to 5 m tall; bark surface smooth; twigs short-hairy, soon becoming glabrous. Leaves alternate, simple and entire; stipules absent or reduced to glandular spots; petiole 1.5–3 mm long; blade elliptical, 1.5–12.5(–15) cm × 1–5(–6.5) cm, base rounded or cuneate, apex usually acuminate, papery, short-hairy below or nearly glabrous, pinnately veined with (3–)4–7(–9) pairs of lateral veins. Inflorescence an axillary raceme up to 3 cm long, short-hairy, (1–)2–5(–7)-flowered. Flowers bisexual, zygomorphic, 5-merous; pedicel 3–7 mm long; sepals unequal, ovate to elliptical, 3–8 mm × 2–6 mm, margins hairy; petals unequal, 1–2 cm long, 2 upper ones oblong, 2 lateral ones narrowly obovate and lower one hooded, white, cream or yellowish, purplish red to bright pink on tips; stamens 1–1.5 cm long, fused for more than half their length into a sheath fused again to upper petals; ovary superior, ellipsoid, slightly 3-lobed, tapering into curved style c. 1 cm long. Fruit a globose to obovoid berry up to 2.5 cm × 2 cm, slightly 3-lobed, glabrous, yellow to orange when ripe, pointed, 1–3-seeded. Seeds ellipsoid to ovoid, flattened, 0.5–1 cm long, densely rusty-brown hairy.
== Other botanical information ==
''Carpolobia'' comprises 5 species, all in mainland tropical Africa but one also in Madagascar.
=== ''Carpolobia lutea'' ===''[[Carpolobia lutea]]'' G.Don is a shrub or small tree up to 5 m tall, occurring in the forest understory from Guinea to Nigeria. It is used for similar purposes as ''Carpolobia alba'', with which it has been much confused. In addition, its root is used against pain and to ease childbirth. ''Carpolobia goetzei'' Gürke, called ‘mtindapo’ in Swahili, is a shrub or small tree up to 5 m tall, occurring in rather dry forest and savanna woodland from eastern DR Congo and southern Sudan to Mozambique and northern Madagascar. Its wood is probably used for similar purposes as that of ''Carpolobia alba'', and in East Africa its roots are used for similar medicinal purposes. In Mozambique the wood is used as firewood. Its fruits are eaten. == Description ==
=== ''Carpolobia goetzei'' ===
''[[Carpolobia goetzei]]'' Gürke, called ‘mtindapo’ in Swahili, is a shrub or small tree up to 5 m tall, occurring in rather dry forest and savanna woodland from eastern DR Congo and southern Sudan to Mozambique and northern Madagascar. Its wood is probably used for similar purposes as that of ''Carpolobia alba'', and in East Africa its roots are used for similar medicinal purposes. In Mozambique the wood is used as firewood. Its fruits are eaten.
== Ecology ==
''Carpolobia alba'' occurs in the understory of evergreen forest, semi-deciduous forest and gallery forest, up to 400 m altitude.
== Genetic resources ==
* Aké Assi, L., Abeye, J., Guinko, S., Riguet, R. & Bangavou, X., 1985. Médecine traditionnelle et pharmacopée - Contribution aux études ethnobotaniques et floristiques en République Centrafricaine. Agence de Coopération Culturelle et Technique, Paris, France. 140 pp.
== Other references ==
* Afolayan, A.J. & Yakubu, M.T., 2009. Erectile dysfunction management options in Nigeria. Journal of Sexual Medicine 6(4): 1090–1102.
== Author(s) ==
* L.P.A. Oyen , PROTA Network Office Europe, Wageningen University, P.O. Box 341, 6700 AH Wageningen, Netherlands
== Correct citation of this article ==
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[[Category:PROTA prov]][[Category:Timbers (PROTA)]]