Boscia angustifolia (PROTA)

Plant Resources of Tropical Africa Introduction

List of species

General importance
Geographic coverage Africa
Geographic coverage World
Fruit
Carbohydrate / starch
Medicinal
Timber
Fuel
Forage / feed
Food security
Climate change

distribution in Africa (wild)

1, tree habit; 2, part of flowering branch; 3, flower; 4, fruiting branch. Redrawn and adapted by J.M. de Vries

Boscia angustifolia A.Rich.

Protologue: Fl. Seneg. tent. 1(1): 26, t. 6 (1831).

Family: Capparaceae

Synonyms

• Boscia corymbosa Gilg (1895),
• Boscia caloneura Gilg (1900).

Vernacular names

• Rough-leaved shepherds tree (En).

Origin and geographic distribution

Boscia angustifolia is very widespread, from southern Mauritania, Senegal and Gambia eastward to Somalia and southward to northern South Africa. It is also found in southern Arabia.

Uses

Bark decoctions or infusions are taken to treat malaria, hyperthermia, mumps, dysentery, venereal diseases and psychiatric disorders, and as emetic and anthelmintic, whereas non-specified bark preparations are applied externally against fever, hyperthermia and swollen feet, and for treating wounds. The smoke of burning bark is used to treat neuralgia, inflammations and ophthalmia. Root infusions are applied as an enema to treat constipation in children, and root decoctions are taken by women to promote fertility. Leaf extracts are administered as cholagogue and to treat diarrhoea. Leaves are applied to wounds. They are fed to livestock as a tonic and to treat diarrhoea, and fruits crushed in water are given as purgative. The wood is used for construction, carpentry, furniture, utensils, implements, tool handles and turnery. It is sometimes used as firewood, but has a bad smell. Boiled pieces of wood have been used to sweeten milk. The fruit pulp is edible but bitter; seeds are eaten after cooking. The bark and leaves have been added to soup in times of food shortage. The bark is used for strings. The foliage is browsed by livestock, especially at the time of flowering and towards the end of the dry season. The flowers attract honey bees. The tree provides shade for livestock. Different parts of the tree have medico-magical uses.

Properties

From the leaves the protoalkaloids stachydrine (proline betaine) and 4-hydrostachydrine (betonicine) were isolated. Leaf extracts showed some in-vitro activity against Plasmodium falciparum, but bark extracts were inactive. Root extracts demonstrated antibacterial activity against Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Escherichia coli and Streptococcus pneumoniae. The extracts also showed activity against Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Root extracts produced histopathological lesions of liver and kidneys when administered at higher doses to rats.

Fresh fruits contain about 81.5 g water per 100 g. Approximate chemical composition of the fruit per 100 g dry matter is: proteins 7 g, fat 5 g, carbohydrates 78 g, fibre 2 g and ash 8 g. The energy value is about 1440 kJ/100 g. The wood is yellowish white and has a bad smell when fresh. The grain is straight, texture fine and even. The wood air dries with little degrade, and is easy to saw and work.

Description

• Evergreen shrub or small tree up to 10(–15) m tall; bole often short but massive, twisted and grooved; bark surface smooth, silver-grey, inner bark pink-yellow, turning orange upon exposure; crown rounded, with ascending branches; twigs finely hairy, soon becoming glabrous.

• Leaves alternate but often in fascicles of 2–4 on older branches, simple and entire; stipules soon falling or absent; petiole 2–7 mm long, short-hairy; blade elliptical to oblanceolate or obovate, 1.5–5(–7) cm × 1–1.5(–2) cm, cuneate to rounded at base, acute to rounded at apex, leathery, glabrous or finely hairy below, pinnately veined with indistinct veins.

• Inflorescence an axillary or terminal umbel-like raceme up to 6 cm long, glabrous to short-hairy, many-flowered.

• Flowers bisexual, regular, greenish yellow; pedicel 0.5–1.5 cm long; sepals 4, free, ovate to elliptical, 2–5 mm long, hairy; petals absent, but receptacle with fringed disk; stamens 5–9, free, 2.5–5 mm long; ovary superior, stalked, ovoid to ellipsoid, glabrous, 1-celled, style very short but thick, stigma prominent, flattened.

• Fruit a globose to slightly ellipsoid berry 0.5–1.5 cm in diameter, slightly pitted, orange-yellow to reddish grey, up to 7-seeded. Seeds compressed globose.

Other botanical information

Boscia comprises about 20 species and mainly occurs in semi-arid regions of mainland Africa, Madagascar and Arabia.

Two varieties have been distinguished in Boscia angustifolia: var. angustifolia with glabrous leaves and occurring from Senegal to Somalia, Kenya and northern Tanzania, and var. corymbosa (Gilg) DeWolf with short-hairy leaves below and occurring from Uganda and Kenya southward to northern South Africa.

Growth and development

In West Africa Boscia angustifolia flowers during the first part of the dry season. In southern Africa it can be found flowering from May to November, and fruits take nearly one year to mature.

Ecology

Boscia angustifolia occurs in deciduous woodland and wooded grassland, up to 2000 m altitude, in drier regions with 200–800 mm annual rainfall. It is often found on stony or rocky soils, but also on laterite and loamy soils, sometimes in dry river beds. It is common on termite mounds.

Propagation and planting

Boscia angustifolia is propagated by seed.

Management

The trees can be pruned.

Harvesting

Various plant parts can be harvested whenever the need arises.

Genetic resources

In many parts of its large distribution area, Boscia angustifolia is common or even abundant, and therefore it is not threatened by genetic erosion.

Prospects

Several uses of Boscia angustifolia in traditional medicine have been supported by the results of pharmacological investigations, particularly relating to antibacterial properties. However, the use of Boscia angustifolia has been associated with some level of toxicity to organs such as liver and kidneys, and more research is needed for safe usage. Boscia angustifolia has been suggested to have potential for reclaiming degraded sites in drier regions.

Major references

• Arbonnier, M., 2004. Trees, shrubs and lianas of West African dry zones. CIRAD, Margraf Publishers Gmbh, MNHN, Paris, France. 573 pp.
• Bein, E., Habte, B., Jaber, A., Birnie, A. & Tengnäs, B., 1996. Useful trees and shrubs in Eritrea: identification, propagation and management for agricultural and pastoral communities. Technical Handbook No 12. Regional Soil Conservation Unit, Nairobi, Kenya. 422 pp.
• Burkill, H.M., 1985. The useful plants of West Tropical Africa. 2nd Edition. Volume 1, Families A–D. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, Richmond, United Kingdom. 960 pp.
• Chikamai, B.N., Githiomi, J.K., Gachathi, F.N. & Njenga, M.G., undated. Commercial timber resources of Kenya. Kenya Forestry Research Institute (KEFRI), Nairobi, Kenya. 164 pp.
• Hassan, S.W., Lawal, M., Muhammad, B.Y., Umar, R.A., Bilbis, L.S., Ebbo, A.A. & Dabai, Y.U., 2007. Isolation and identification of bioactive antibacterial components in root extracts of Boscia angustifolia (Capparidaceae). Journal of Pharmacology and Toxicology 2(4): 366–372.
• Hassan, S.W., Umar, R.A., Lawal, M., Bilbis, L.S., Muhammad, B.Y., Faruk, U.Z. & Ebbo, A.A., 2006. Effect of alkaloidal and aqueous extracts of roots of Boscia angustifolia (Capparidaceae) on hepatorenal functions in albino rats. Asian Journal of Biochemistry 1(4): 287–296.
• Malaisse, F., 1997. Se nourir en forêt claire africaine. Approche écologique et nutritionnelle. Les presses agronomiques de Gembloux, Gembloux, Belgium & CTA, Wageningen, Netherlands. 384 pp.
• Orwa, C., Mutua, A., Kindt, R., Jamnadass, R. & Simons, A., 2009. Agroforestree database: a tree reference and selection guide. Version 4.0. [Internet] World Agroforestry Centre (ICRAF), Nairobi, Kenya. http://www.worldagroforestry.org/ resources/databases/ agroforestree. Accessed October 2012.
• Storrs, A.E.G., 1979. Know your trees: some of the common trees found in Zambia. Forest Department, Ndola, Zambia. 380 pp.
• von Maydell, H.-J., 1986. Trees and shrubs of the Sahel: their characteristics and uses. Schriftenreihe der GTZ No 196. Deutsche Gesellschaft für Technische Zusammenarbeit, Eschborn, Germany. 525 pp.

Other references

• Adam, J.G., Echard, N. & Lescot, M., 1972. Plantes médicinales Hausa de l’Ader. Journal d’Agriculture Tropicale et de Botanique Appliquée 19(8–9): 259–399.
• Adjanohoun, E.J., Adjakidjè, V., Ahyi, M.R.A., Aké Assi, L., Akoègninou, A., d’Almeida, J., Apovo, F., Boukef, K., Chadare, M., Cusset, G., Dramane, K., Eyme, J., Gassita, J.N., Gbaguidi, N., Goudote, E., Guinko, S., Houngnon, P., Lo, I., Keita, A., Kiniffo, H.V., Kone-Bamba, D., Musampa Nseyya, A., Saadou, M., Sodogandji, T., De Souza, S., Tchabi, A., Zinsou Dossa, C. & Zohoun, T., 1989. Contribution aux études ethnobotaniques et floristiques en République Populaire du Bénin. Agence de Coopération Culturelle et Technique, Paris, France. 895 pp.
• Bah, S., 2006. Ethnopharmacological and phytochemical investigations of medicinal plants used against schistosomiasis in Mali. PhD Thesis, Department of pharmaceutical chemistry, School of pharmacy, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway.
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• Burkill, H.M., 2000. The useful plants of West Tropical Africa. 2nd Edition. Volume 5, Families S–Z, Addenda. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, Richmond, United Kingdom. 686 pp.
• Chini, C., Bilia, A.R., Keita, A. & Morelli, I., 1992. Protoalkaloids from Boscia angustifolia. Planta Medica 58: 476.
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• Fici, S., Thulin, M. & Kers, L.E., 1993. Capparaceae. In: Thulin, M. (Editor). Flora of Somalia. Volume 1. Pteridophyta; Gymnospermae; Angiospermae (Annonaceae-Fabaceae). Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, Richmond, United Kingdom. pp. 37–60.
• Hauman, L. & Wilczek, R., 1951. Capparidaceae. In: Robyns, W., Staner, P., Demaret, F., Germain, R., Gilbert, G., Hauman, L., Homès, M., Jurion, F., Lebrun, J., Vanden Abeele, M. & Boutique, R. (Editors). Flore du Congo belge et du Ruanda-Urundi. Spermatophytes. Volume 2. Institut National pour l’Étude Agronomique du Congo belge, Brussels, Belgium. pp. 454–521.
• Heine, B. & Heine, I., 1988. Plant concepts and plant use; an ethnobotanical survey of the semi-arid and arid lands of East Africa. Part 1. Plants of the Chamus (Kenya). Cologne Development Studies 6. Breitenbach, Saarbrücken, Germany. 103 pp.
• Heine, B. & Heine, I., 1988. Plant concepts and plant use; an ethnobotanical survey of the semi-arid and arid lands of East Africa. Part 3. Rendille plants (Kenya). Cologne Development Studies 8. Breitenbach, Saarbrücken, Germany. 120 pp.
• Mahmoud, M.A., Khidir, M.O., Khalifa, M.A., Bashir el Amadi, A.M., Musnad, H.A.R. & Mohamed, E.T.I., 1995. Sudan: Country Report to the FAO International Technical Conference on Plant Genetic Resources (Leipzig 1996). Khartoum, Sudan. 86 pp.
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Sources of illustration

• Andrews, F.W., 1950. The flowering plants of the Anglo-Egyptian Sudan. Volume 1. Buncle, Arbroath, United Kingdom. 237 pp.
• Berhaut, J., 1974. Flore illustrée du Sénégal. Dicotylédones. Volume 2. Balanophoracées à Composées. Gouvernement du Sénégal, Ministère du Développement Rural et de l’Hydraulique, Direction des Eaux et Forêts, Dakar, Sénégal. 695 pp.
• Chikamai, B.N., Githiomi, J.K., Gachathi, F.N. & Njenga, M.G., undated. Commercial timber resources of Kenya. Kenya Forestry Research Institute (KEFRI), Nairobi, Kenya. 164 pp.

Author(s)

• R.H.M.J. Lemmens, PROTA Network Office Europe, Wageningen University, P.O. Box 341, 6700 AH Wageningen, Netherlands

Correct citation of this article

Lemmens, R.H.M.J., 2013. Boscia angustifolia A.Rich. In: Schmelzer, G.H. & Gurib-Fakim, A. (Editors). PROTA (Plant Resources of Tropical Africa / Ressources végétales de l’Afrique tropicale), Wageningen, Netherlands. Accessed 6 March 2025.

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