Combretum mossambicense (PROTA)

Plant Resources of Tropical Africa Introduction

List of species

General importance
Geographic coverage Africa
Geographic coverage World
Medicinal
Timber
Fuel
Ornamental
Forage / feed

Combretum mossambicense (Klotzsch) Engl.

distribution in Africa (wild)

Protologue: Pflanzenw. Ost-Afrikas. C: 292 (1895).

Family: Combretaceae

Chromosome number: 26

Vernacular names

• Shaving-brush combretum, knobbly climbing bush willow, knobbly combretum, knobby creeping bushwillow (En).

Origin and geographic distribution

Combretum mossambicense occurs in the drier parts of eastern and southern Africa, as well as the south-eastern savannah of DR Congo. It also occurs in north-eastern South Africa.

Uses

In Tanzania a root decoction is taken as a purgative and an infusion made from the inner bark is used as an enema to treat schistosomiasis and diarrhoea.

In Namibia a vapour bath is taken of the roots and leaves, together with leaves of Gardenia brachythamnus (K.Schum.) Launert, to treat toothache and pain in the bones. A decoction of the roots and leaves, together with the aerial parts of Acalypha villicaulis Hochst., is used as vapour bath, mouth wash or eye bath to treat facial swellings because of tooth abscesses, nasal infection or inflammation of the eye. The liquid can be rubbed into small scratches on swellings. The residue is used as compress to reduce swellings.

As it produces masses of fluffy pink-white flowers on the bare branches, Combretum mossambicense is sometimes planted as a garden ornamental. The wood is hard, strong and durable and used for fence poles. It is excellent as firewood and charcoal.

Baboons feed on the young green stems, fruits and the gum from injured bark. It is one of the preferred browse plants for wild animals.

Properties

No phytochemical analyses have been done on Combretum mossambicense. Several preliminary pharmacological tests, however, show interesting results.

Methanolic, acetone and ethyl acetate extracts of the leaves showed promising anti-inflammatory, anthelmintic (against the free-living nematode Caenorhabditis elegans) and antischistosomal (against Schistosoma haematobium) activities as well as DNA damaging effects in vitro. Several leaf extracts showed significant antibacterial activity against Gram-positive pathogenic bacteria in vitro.

Description

Small, deciduous tree, shrub or woody climber up to 13 m tall, usually flowering before the leaves appear; young branches pale pinkish brown. Leaves opposite or almost opposite, simple and entire; stipules absent; petiole up to 5(–7) mm long, the base forming a curved spine; blade elliptical to elliptical-oblong, 10(–20) cm × 5(–11) cm, apex acuminate, base rounded to cordate, short-hairy becoming almost glabrous, pinnately veined with 5–9 pairs of lateral veins, rather prominent beneath. Inflorescence an axillary spike, sometimes almost head-shaped, up to 8 cm long, often in the axils of fallen leaves, rachis densely short-hairy. Flowers bisexual, regular, (4–)5-merous, white or pinkish, fragrant, sessile, usually appearing before the leaves; receptacle consisting of 2 parts, lower part c. 5 mm long, short-hairy, constricted above and below the ovary, upper part up to 9(–11) mm × 4 mm at base surrounding the disk, globose, broadly funnel-shaped at apex, hairy; sepals triangular, c. 2 mm long; petals free, elliptical, 7–9 mm × 2–3.5 mm, narrowed to the base, externally hairy; stamens 10, 16–17 mm long, anthers orange-red; ovary inferior, 1-celled, style c. 18 mm long, 1-seeded. Fruit 5-winged nut, elliptical to almost circular in outline, 2–3 cm × 2–2.5 cm, short-hairy, wings up to 10 mm wide, pink turning brown and papery, stipe 4–6(–10) mm long.

Other botanical information

Combretum is a very large genus, comprising about 250 species and distributed worldwide in the tropics and subtropics. About 140 species occur in tropical Africa; c. 20 species are endemic to Madagascar.

Combretum mossambicense is closely related to Combretum holstii Engl. and Combretum goetzei Engl. & Diels, differing principally in the hairiness of the flowers.

Combretum holstii occurs in Tanzania, Mozambique and north-western Angola. In Tanzania leaf sap is drunk to treat hiccups. A root decoction is drunk to treat hiccups, malaria in children and hardened abscesses.

Growth and development

Combretum mossambicense mainly flowers during the second part of the year, but flowers can be present almost every month of the year. It is moderately fast-growing.

Ecology

Combretum mossambicense occurs in riverine forest, Brachystegia woodland, deciduous and secondary bushland and wooded grasslands, also on termite hills and rocky outcrops, at 100–1700 m altitude. It often forms dense thickets. It is drought- and heat-resistant and prefers a fertile well-drained soil. Combretum mossambicense is tolerant of light frost when mature.

Propagation and planting

Combretum mossambicense can be propagated from seeds, wildlings, stem and root cuttings. The seeds should be removed from the fruit and soaked briefly before sowing. They take about 2–3 weeks to germinate when fresh. Seedlings grow up to 30 cm within the first season, but care should be taken that the soil does not dry out completely.

Management

Combretum mossambicense is suitable for gardens, especially in drier areas. It can either be pruned back heavily to discourage its climbing tendencies or it can be trained up a trellis or over a pergola, or left to form a rambling shrub. Mulching and regular compost improve growth and flowering.

Diseases and pests

The caterpillars of the butterfly called the ‘striped policeman’ (Coeliades forestan) feed on the leaves.

Handling after harvest

The roots and bark can be harvested whenever the need arises. Leaves can only be harvested part of the year, when present on the tree.

Genetic resources

Combretum mossambicense is relatively common in its distribution area and most likely not at risk of genetic erosion.

Prospects

Combretum mossambicense shows several interesting pharmacological results, but more research into its phytochemical compounds and pharmacology are needed in order to evaluate its potential. It also has horticultural potential as it grows easily, is drought-resistant, withstands light frost, and has masses of sweet-scented flowers.

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.
• ITDG & IIRR, 1996. Ethnoveterinary medicine in Kenya. A field manual of traditional animal health care practice. Intermediate Technology Development Group and International Institute of Rural Reconstruction, Nairobi, Kenya. 226 pp.
• Joffe, P., 2003. Combretum mossambicense (Klotzsch) Engl. [Internet] South African National Biodiversity Institute, Pretoria, South Africa. http://www.plantzafrica.com/ plantklm/ kiggelarafric.htm. Accessed August 2011
• McGaw, L.J., Rabe, T., Sparg, S.G., Jäger, A.K., Eloff, J.N. & van Staden, J., 2001. An investigation on the biological activity of Combretum species. Journal of Ethnopharmacology 75: 45–50.
• Neuwinger, H.D., 2000. African traditional medicine: a dictionary of plant use and applications. Medpharm Scientific, Stuttgart, Germany. 589 pp.

Other references

• Eloff, J.N., 1999. The antibacterial activity of 27 southern African members of the Combretaceae. South African Journal of Science 95: 148–152.
• Eloff, J.N., Jäger, A.K. & van Staden, J., 2001. The stability and the relationship between anti-inflammatory activity and antibacterial properties of southern African Combretum species. South African Journal of Science 97(7–8): 291–293.
• Hutchings, A., Haxton Scott, A., Lewis, G. & Cunningham, A., 1996. Zulu medicinal plants: an inventory. University of Natal Press, Pietermaritzburg, South Africa. 450 pp.
• SEPASAL, 2011. Combretum mossambicense. [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/. Accessed August 2011.
• von Koenen, E., 2001. Medicinal, poisonous and edible plants in Namibia. Klaus Hess Verlag, Göttingen, Germany. 336 pp.
• van Wyk, B. & van Wyk, P., 2007. How to identify trees in southern Africa. Struik Publishers, Cape Town, South Africa. 184 pp.

Author(s)

• M.J. Nicholson, Plants for Life, P.O. Box 617, Limuru, Kenya

Correct citation of this article

Nicholson, M.J., 2012. Combretum mossambicense (Klotzsch) Engl. In: Schmelzer, G.H. & Gurib-Fakim, A. (Editors). Prota 11(2): Medicinal plants/Plantes médicinales 2. PROTA, Wageningen, Netherlands. Accessed 18 December 2024.

• See this page on the Prota4U database.