Combretum albopunctatum (PROTA)
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Introduction |
| General importance |  
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| Geographic coverage Africa |
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| Geographic coverage World |
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| Medicinal |
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| Timber |
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| Fuel |
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Combretum albopunctatum Suess.
- Protologue: Mitt. Bot. Staatssamml. München 1(8): 336 (1953).
- Family: Combretaceae
Vernacular names
- Okavango bushwillow, silver-dot bushwillow, silver-dot combretum (En).
Origin and geographic distribution
Combretum albopunctatum occurs in southern Zambia, the Caprivi Strip (Namibia), Botswana, Zimbabwe and in eastern South Africa.
Uses
In Namibia the steam of boiled roots with other herbs is inhaled to treat infertility in women. A root infusion is drunk as well. This induces severe vomiting, which is considered to cleanse the body.
The wood is used as firewood and the poles for construction purposes and clubs.
Properties
A dichloromethane extract of the aerial parts yielded three flavonoids, alpinetin, cardamomin and pinocembrin, and two cyclobutane chalcone dimers. An acetone leaf extract showed low toxicity in rats. Crude leaf extracts showed significant antifungal potential on the wounds of immuno-compromised rats.
Description
Deciduous, thicket-forming shrub, sometimes climbing, or small tree up to 3 m tall; bark grey-brown to grey, young branches densely (short-)hairy. Leaves opposite or almost opposite, simple and entire; stipules absent; petiole 3–5 mm long; blade narrowly elliptical or obovate-elliptical, 4–10 cm × 2–5.5 cm, base almost cordate, apex blunt to rounded, mucronate, papery to slightly leathery, when young with brownish long hairs almost concealing the scales, later short-hairy to nearly glabrous, scales glistening, pinnately veined with 5–7 pairs of lateral veins. Inflorescence an axillary spike up to 3 cm long. Flowers bisexual, regular, 4-merous, sessile; receptacle consisting of 2 parts, lower part c. 2.5 mm long, hairy, upper part c. 2 mm long, broadly campanulate, with scales and short-hairy; sepals broadly deltate, c. 1 mm long, petals obovate, c. 1 mm long, notched, apex ciliate; stamens 8, free, c. 4 mm long; ovary inferior, 1-celled, style c. 3 mm long. Fruit a 4-winged nut, nearly orbicular to ovoid in outline, 2–3 cm × 1.8–2.5 cm, covered with silvery scales, with 2–7 mm long stipe and 8–10 mm broad wings, reddish brown when dry, indehiscent, 1-seeded. Seedling with hypogeal germination, but with the transversely elliptical cotyledons arising above soil level.
Other botanical information
Combretum is a very large genus, comprising about 250 species distributed worldwide in the tropics and subtropics. About 140 species occur in tropical Africa. Combretum albopunctatum is often confused with Combretum apiculatum Sond. and Combretum molle R.Br. ex G.Don. Several other Combretum species with medicinal uses occur in southern Africa.
Combretum elaeagnoides
Combretum elaeagnoides Klotzsch occurs in Zambia, the Caprivi Strip (Namibia), northern Botswana, Zimbabwe and Mozambique. In Zimbabwe the root is pounded and the powder added to food or infused in water to treat diarrhoea. The poles are used for the construction of huts and the wood for making handles of fish spears. The wood is also used as fuelwood. It has a considerable capacity of regeneration of disturbed areas. It is frost tolerant. From the leaves the triterpenoid acid, jessic acid, together with its methyl ester and α-arabinopyranoside were isolated.
Combretum platypetalum
Combretum platypetalum Welw. ex Laws. occurs in southern DR Congo, Tanzania, and from Angola east to Mozambique. In Namibia a root decoction is taken to treat bloody diarrhoea. A root bark decoction is drunk to treat pneumonia, and rubbed on the chest with fat added. In Zimbabwe the root is pounded and the powder added to food or infused in water to treat diarrhoea and kidney pain. The powder is also sniffed to stop a bleeding nose. Powdered root is rubbed into cuts to reduce swellings and mumps. A root infusion is drunk to widen the birth canal and to treat abdominal pain, female infertility, dysmenorrhoea and vomiting. A root infusion is used as ear drops to treat earache. Pulped leaves with oil are applied to burns. The seeds are toxic to pigs, as they induce vomiting and paralysis. A root extract showed moderate prostaglandin-synthesis inhibition in vitro.
Ecology
Combretum albopunctatum occurs in Baikiaea woodland, Colophospermum mopane (Benth.) J.Léonard shrub savanna and other dry land savanna; also on sandy plains, river banks and stony hillsides forming thickets with Commiphora spp. and Combretum spp., from sea-level up to 1000 m altitude. Combretum albopunctatum is drought and frost tolerant. Flowering and fruiting is variable.
Propagation and planting
Combretum albopunctatum is propagated by seeds. The seed should be removed from the fruit and soaked in water a few hours before sowing. Seedlings emerge in 9–15 days with a germination rate of up to 55%. The seedlings are fragile and should not be transplanted before they are two weeks old.
Management
Combretum albopunctatum can be coppiced.
Genetic resources
Combretum albopunctatum is widespread and common in most of its distribution area and therefore not threatened by genetic erosion.
Prospects
The use of the roots of Combretum albopunctatum in traditional medicine indicates some level of toxicity, as a root infusion induces severe vomiting. A pharmacological test with a leaf extract showed interesting antifungal activity and low toxicity in rats. The phytochemistry and pharmacology of the roots needs further elaboration, as well as for the other plant parts. The safety profile needs to be established as well.
Major references
- Exell, A.W., 1978. Combretaceae. In: Launert, E. (Editor). Flora Zambesiaca. Volume 4. Flora Zambesiaca Managing Committee, London, United Kingdom. pp. 100–183.
- Leger, S., 1997. The hidden gifts of nature: A description of today’s use of plants in West Bushmanland (Namibia). [Internet] DED, German Development Service, Windhoek, Namibia & Berlin, Germany. http://www.sigridleger.de/book/. April 2003.
- Masoko, P., Picard, J., Howard, R.L., Mampuru, L.J. & Eloff, J.N., 2010. In vivo antifungal effect of Combretum and Terminalia species extracts on cutaneous wound healing in immunosuppressed rats. Pharmaceutical Biology 48(6): 621–632.
- Neuwinger, H.D., 2000. African traditional medicine: a dictionary of plant use and applications. Medpharm Scientific, Stuttgart, Germany. 589 pp.
- SEPASAL, 2011. Combretum albopunctatum. [Internet] Survey of Economic Plants for Arid and Semi-Arid Lands (SEPASAL) database. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, Richmond, United Kingdom. http://www.kew.org/ ceb/sepasal/. January 2011.
Other references
- Cheatle, M.E., 1992. An assessment of deforestation and woodfuel production in the vicinity of Lusaka, Zambia, using remote sensing imaginery. PhD Thesis, Department of Forestry, University of Aberdeen, United Kingdom. 704 pp.
- Chinemana, F., Drummond, R.B., Mavi, S. & de Zoysa, I., 1985. Indigenous plant remedies in Zimbabwe. Journal of Ethnopharmacology 14: 159–172.
- Coates Palgrave, K., 2002. Trees of southern Africa. 3rd Edition. Struik Publishers, Cape Town, South Africa. 1212 pp.
- Katerere, D.R., Gray, A.I., Kennedy, A.R., Nash, R.J. & Waigh, R.D., 2004. Cyclobutanes from Combretum albipunctatum. Phytochemistry 65(4): 433–438.
- Lindsey, K., Jäger, A.K., Raidoo, D.M. & van Staden, J., 1999. Screening of plants used by southern African traditional healers in the treatment of dysmenorrhoea for prostaglandin-synthesis inhibitors and uterine relaxing activity. Journal of Ethnopharmacology 64: 9–14.
- Masoko, P. & Eloff, J.N., 2006. Bioautography indicates the multiplicity of antifungal compounds from twenty-four southern African Combretum species (Combretaceae). African Journal of Biotechnology 5(18): 1625–1647.
- Osborne, R. & Pegel, K.H., 1984. Jessic acid and related acid triterpenoids from Combretum elaeagnoides. Phytochemistry 23(3):635–637.
- SEPASAL, 2011. Combretum elaeagnoides. [Internet] Survey of Economic Plants for Arid and Semi-Arid Lands (SEPASAL) database. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, Richmond, United Kingdom. http://www.kew.org/ ceb/sepasal/. January 2011.
Author(s)
- E.N. Matu, CTMDR/KEMRI, P.O. Box 54840–00200, Nairobi, Kenya
Correct citation of this article
Matu, E.N., 2011. Combretum albopunctatum Suess. In: Schmelzer, G.H. & Gurib-Fakim, A. (Editors). PROTA (Plant Resources of Tropical Africa / Ressources végétales de l’Afrique tropicale), Wageningen, Netherlands. Accessed 23 December 2024.
- See the Prota4U database.
