Griffonia physocarpa (PROTA)

Plant Resources of Tropical Africa Introduction

List of species

General importance
Geographic coverage Africa
Geographic coverage World
Dye / tannin
Medicinal
Timber
Ornamental

Griffonia physocarpa Baill.

Protologue: Adansonia 6: 188 (1865).

Family: Caesalpiniaceae (Leguminosae - Caesalpinioideae)

• Bandeiraea tenuiflora Benth. (1866).

Griffonia physocarpa occurs in Nigeria, Cameroon, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Congo and DR Congo.

A black dye is obtained from the leaves of Griffonia physocarpa. Root fibres are collected from the wild and chewed into a cud from which, on drying, a white powder separates, which is used by women as an ornamental face powder. The stems serve as binding material in the construction of huts in DR Congo. In traditional medicine, a decoction of the leaves is taken against stomach troubles and blennorrhoea, and as a wash for children with fever. Macerated leaves are used as a dressing over oedemas and are taken as an aphrodisiac. Ash of leaves is applied externally to treat bone fractures.

• Shrub or large liana with glabrous, brown-black branches.
• Leaves alternate, simple, glabrous; stipules absent; petiole c. 0.5 cm long; blade oblong-elliptical to ovate, 5–15 cm × 3–7 cm, base rounded, apex acuminate, 3(–5)-veined from the base, reticulate venation prominent on both sides.
• Inflorescence a terminal raceme 5–20 cm long; bracts and bracteoles triangular, 2 mm long, persistent.
• Flowers bisexual, almost regular, 5-merous; pedicel 0.5–1 cm long; receptacle cylindrical, 2–3 cm × 3 mm, orange; calyx tubular, orange, tube 3–6 mm long, lobes triangular, 2–3 mm long; petals almost equal, claw 3–6 mm long, blade oblanceolate, 1–1.5 cm × 3–4 mm, fleshy, greenish, sparsely pubescent inside; stamens 10, filaments filiform, 2 cm long; ovary superior, c. 4 mm long, stiped, style 1–2 mm long, persistent, stigma small.
• Fruit an oblique-cylindrical pod 5–7 cm × 3–4 cm, inflated, leathery, stipe up to 2.5 cm long, 1–2-seeded.
• Seeds orbicular, c. 12 mm in diameter, glabrous.

Griffonia is only found in tropical Africa. It belongs to the tribe Cercideae and comprises 4 species.

Griffonia physocarpa occurs in lowland forest, often in secondary forest.

Griffonia physocarpa is widespread and locally common, especially in disturbed forest, and not in danger of genetic erosion.

Griffonia physocarpa will probably remain of local importance only; its dye and medicinal properties need more research before evaluation is possible. The related Griffonia simplicifolia (Vahl ex DC.) Baill. contains medicinally very interesting compounds.

• Burkill, H.M., 1995. The useful plants of West Tropical Africa. 2nd Edition. Volume 3, Families J–L. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, Richmond, United Kingdom. 857 pp.

• Wilczek, R., Léonard, J., Hauman, L., Hoyle, A.C., Steyaert, R., Gilbert, G. & Boutique, R., 1952. Caesalpiniaceae. 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 3. Institut National pour l’Étude Agronomique du Congo belge, Brussels, Belgium. pp. 234–554.

• Aubréville, A., 1968. Légumineuses - Caesalpinioidées (Leguminosae - Caesalpinioideae). Flore du Gabon. Volume 15. Muséum National d’Histoire Naturelle, Paris, France. 362 pp.

• Aubréville, A., 1970. Légumineuses - Césalpinioidées (Leguminosae - Caesalpinioideae). Flore du Cameroun. Volume 9. Muséum National d’Histoire Naturelle, Paris, France. 339 pp.

• Bouquet, A., 1969. Féticheurs et médecines traditionnelles du Congo (Brazzaville). Mémoires ORSTOM No 36. Office de la Recherche Scientifique et Technique Outre-Mer. Paris, France. 282 pp.

• Raponda-Walker, A. & Sillans, R., 1961. Les plantes utiles du Gabon. Paul Lechevalier, Paris, France. 614 pp.

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

Jansen, P.C.M., 2005. Griffonia physocarpa Baill. In: Jansen, P.C.M. & Cardon, D. (Editors). PROTA (Plant Resources of Tropical Africa / Ressources végétales de l’Afrique tropicale), Wageningen, Netherlands. Accessed 31 May 2025.

• See the Prota4U database.