Bureaucrat, administrator, widgeteditor
146,870
edits
Changes
no edit summary
Anthraquinones, phenylanthraquinones and isofuranonaphthoquinones have been isolated from the roots, leaves and fruits of ''Bulbine abyssinica''. The phenylanthraquinone bulbine-knipholone has been isolated from the roots. This compound showed in-vitro antiplasmodial activity, and no cytotoxic effects on mammalian cells.
== Botany Description ==
Tufted, perennial herb up to 70 cm tall, with short rhizome up to 1.5 cm × 1.5 cm. Leaves in a rosette, simple, erect to spreading, without stipules and petiole, terete or slightly flattened, up to 55 cm × 4 mm, fleshy, at base extending into a tubular sheath, old leaf bases persistent. Inflorescence a terminal raceme 3–18 cm long; peduncle up to 65 cm long; bracts 5–20 mm long, with a sharp point, persistent. Flowers bisexual, regular, 3-merous; pedicel c. 3 mm long at apex of inflorescence, c. 20 mm at basis of inflorescence; tepals 6, oblong, c. 6 mm × 2 mm, 1-veined, yellow; stamens 6, 3–4 mm long, densely bearded in upper third; ovary superior, 3-celled, style terete, stigma head-shaped. Fruit a globose to obovoid capsule c. 5 mm long, dehiscing loculicidally, brown to black, many-seeded. Seeds pyramidal, c. 3 mm in diameter, grey-black.
In southern Africa ''Bulbine abyssinica'' flowers in early summer. == Other botanical information == ''Bulbine'' comprises about 60 species, most of them restricted to southern Africa. === ''Bulbine asphodeloides'' ===''[[Bulbine asphodeloides]]'' (L.) Willd., native of Mozambique, South Africa and Swaziland, has often been confused with ''Bulbine abyssinica'' and as their ranges overlap it is not always clear to which of the 2 species a medicinal use should be attributed. Leaf sap of ''Bulbine asphodeloides'' is applied to promote wound healing. A decoction of the rhizomes is drunk to cure scrophula, venereal diseases and diarrhoea. In southern Africa ''Bulbine abyssinica'' flowers in early summer.
== Ecology ==
== Correct citation of this article ==
Bosch, C.H., 2006. '''Bulbine abyssinica''' A.Rich. [Internet] Record from PROTA4U. In: Schmelzer, G.H. & Gurib-Fakim, A. (Editors). PROTA (Plant Resources of Tropical Africa / Ressources végétales de l’Afrique tropicale), Wageningen, Netherlands. <http://www.prota4u.org/search.asp>. Accessed {{CURRENTDAY}} {{CURRENTMONTHNAME}} {{CURRENTYEAR}}.
