Petchia madagascariensis
(A. DC.) Leeuwenb.
iNaturalist· cc-by-nc
(c) David Rabehevitra, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by David Rabehevitra
iNaturalist· cc-by-nc
(c) Andriamiadana, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC)
Summary
Source: WikipediaPetchia madagascariensis is a plant in the family Apocynaceae.
Description
A shrub or small tree. It grows 10 m tall. It is 25 cm across the trunk. The bark is smooth but cracked. It is dark brown. The leaves are in rings of 3-4 or opposite. They are simple and entire. They are narrowly oval and up to 23 cm long by 10 cm wide. The base it wedge shaped and it can taper to the tip There are 15-20 pairs of side veins. The edges curl back. There are several groups of flowers together at the ends of branches. The flowers contain both sexes and are yellow. The fruit are made up of 2 follicles and each one has 1-13 fleshy fruit covering one seed each.
Edible Uses
The fruit pulp is sweet and edible. The fruit consists of two, cylindrical follicles, each follicle is composed of 1 - 13 orange drupes, each containing a single seed. The leaves and stem bark are used as a bitter ingredient for the production of rum.
Traditional Uses
The fruit pulp is sweet and edible.
This uses section is brief — help expand it
Medicinal Uses
The leaves are used in traditional medicine.
Known Hazards
A decoction of the aerial parts is drunk as an ordeal poison.
Distribution
It is a tropical plant. It grows in humid evergreen forest. It is mostly near the coast but can grow up to 600 m altitude.
Where It Grows
Africa, East Africa, Madagascar,
Other Uses
The plant contains a white latex. No reports of uses have been seen.
Notes
There are 8 Petchia species. The leaves are used in medicine.
Synonyms
References (3)
- Bircher, A. G. & Bircher, W. H., 2000, Encyclopedia of Fruit Trees and Edible Flowering Plants in Egypt and the Subtropics. AUC Press. p 21 (As Alyxia lucida and Alyxia madagascariensis)
- Boone, M.J., 2006. Petchia madagascariensis (A.DC.) Leeuwenb. [Internet] Record from Protabase. Schmelzer, G.H. & Gurib-Fakim, A. (Editors). PROTA (Plant Resources of Tropical Africa), Wageningen, Netherlands. < http://database.prota.org/search.htm>. Accessed 21 October 200919 October 2009.
- World Checklist of Useful Plant Species 2020. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew
