Rourea minor

Rourea minor is a large scandent shrub from the family Connaraceae. It has been recorded from Africa, tropical Asia and the Pacific.

Description

A shrub up to 2 m high or a woody climber up to 25 m tall. The leaves are compound and shiny. The flowers are small and white. The fruit are in pods about 3 cm long. They are curved. The seed is covered in a bright red aril.

Edible Uses

The bright red arils (seed coverings) are eaten raw. The fruit, seeds, and roots are also edible portions, and it is commonly used as a fruit in West Africa.

Traditional Uses

The arils or coverings around the seeds are eaten.

This uses section is brief — help expand it

Medicinal Uses

Although poisonous, a decoction of the wood and the roots is used in traditional medicine. In small doses, a decoction of the root acts as an emetic. Larger doses are poisonous. A decoction of from the roots in a dose of a teaspoonful or less is an emetic, but if this dose is exceeded, it is a poison. The roots and twigs are used as a bitter tonic and uterine tonic. They are prescribed for the treatment of rheumatism, scurvy, diabetes and pulmonary complaints. The roots are used as a mild aperient and in external applications for treating ulcers and skin complaints. A decoction of the fresh or dried leaves is used to cure gastralgia and are an absorbent.

Known Hazards

The wood and the roots are apparently poisonous, even though used medicinally. A decoction, mixed up with dog's food, is used for killing dogs.

Distribution

A tropical plant. It grows in hill lands, thickets, bamboo woods, dense mixed forests, up to 800 m altitude in southern China. In West Africa it grows in river banks in closed forest and savannah. In Yunnan, China it grows between 600-1300 m altitude. It occurs in the Western Ghats in India.

Where It Grows

Africa, American Samoa, Angola, Asia, Australia, Burkina Faso, Cambodia, Cameroon, Central Africa, Central African Republic, CAR, China, Congo DR, Côte d'Ivoire, East Africa, Gabon, Ghana, Guinea, Guinée, Guinea-Bissau, India, Indochina, Ivory Coast, Kenya, Laos, Madagascar, Mozambique, Niger, Nigeria, Northeastern India, Philippines, SE Asia, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Taiwan, Thailand, Togo, Vietnam, West Africa, Zambia,

Cultivation

Plants can flower and produce fruit throughout the year.

Other Uses

The branches are used as ropes.

Other Information

It is a commonly used fruit in West Africa.

Notes

There are 40-70 Rourea species. They are tropical. There are 46 Rourea species in tropical America.

Synonyms

Also Known As

Botrobatra tiama, Chandrapudi, Deni m'bro, Ekapa, Ganganrisse, Hongjiten, Hong ye teng, Huleechalaballa, Humatarakwa, Huma-tarakwa, Kake, Kalavidhara, Kimbar mahalbaa, Konone soro, Kononi soro, Kowatothi, Kuriel, Makoi lata, Marisoma, Mbaching, Niania, Sessenkergu, Soppu, Taroli, Varadara, Varadharo, Vidhara, Vitaraka, Vudhadaki, Wakeri, Yangara buhili

References (25)

• Abbiw, D.K., 1990, Useful Plants of Ghana. West African uses of wild and cultivated plants. Intermediate Technology Publications and the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. p 48 (As Santaloides afzelii)
• Ambasta S.P. (Ed.), 2000, The Useful Plants of India. CSIR India. p 531
• Ambe, G., 2001, Les fruits sauvages comestibles des savanes guinéennes de Côte-d’Ivoire : état de la connaissance par une population locale, les Malinké. Biotechnol. Agron. Soc. Environ. 5(1), 43-48 (As Santaloides afzelii)
• Anderson, E. F., 1993, Plants and people of the Golden Triangle. Dioscorides Press. p 220
• Atato, A., et al, 2010, Diversity of Edible Wild Fruit Tree Species of Togo. Global Science Books. (As Santaloides afzelii)

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