Alphitonia excelsa
Soap tree
Alphitonia excelsa, commonly known as the African or Wild Alphitonia, is a versatile medicinal shrub native to tropical Africa. Renowned in traditional medicine, its leaves and bark are frequently utilized to treat ailments ranging from malaria and fever to skin infections, showcasing the plant's significant ethnobotanical importance and therapeutic potential.
- Scientific name: Alphitonia excelsa
- Family: Rhamnaceae
- Native range: Asia-Tropical
Taxonomical Classification
This plant, Alphitonia excelsa, belongs to the kingdom Plantae and the phylum Streptophyta. It is further classified within the class Equisetopsida and the subclass Magnoliidae, falling under the order Rosales. Ultimately, it is a member of the family Rhamnaceae within the genus Alphitonia.
| Rank | Classification | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Kingdom | Plantae | WCVP |
| Phylum | Streptophyta | WCVP |
| Class | Equisetopsida | WCVP |
| Subclass | Magnoliidae | WCVP |
| Order | Rosales | WCVP |
| Family | Rhamnaceae | WCVP |
| Genus | Alphitonia | WCVP |
Common Names
This plant, known scientifically as Alphitonia excelsa, is referred to by various common names depending on the language and region. In Persian, it is called سرخخاکستر (درخت), while in Chinese, it is commonly identified as 肥皂树 (including the simplified form 肥皂树 in mainland China and the traditional form 肥皂樹 in Taiwan). In Japanese, its name is transcribed as アルフィトニア・エクセルサ.| Language | Common Name | Source |
|---|---|---|
| fa | سرخخاکستر (درخت) | Wikidata |
| zh | 肥皂树 | Wikidata |
| zh-cn | 肥皂树 | Wikidata |
| zh-tw | 肥皂樹 | Wikidata |
| ja | アルフィトニア・エクセルサ | Wikidata |
| es | Colubrina excelsa | Wikidata |
| es | Alphitonia excelsa var. acutifolia | Wikidata |
| es | Ceanothus excelsa | Wikidata |
| en | Soap Tree | Wikidata |
| en | Red Ash | Wikidata |
Distribution
This plant is widely distributed across several distinct geographical regions in the Southern Hemisphere. In the Papuasia region, it can be found growing within New Guinea. Its range extends significantly into Australia, where it inhabits the state of New South Wales. Furthermore, the species is present in the Northern Territory and the tropical areas of Queensland. Finally, its distribution reaches as far as Western Australia, marking a broad continental presence.
| Region | Area | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Papuasia | New Guinea | WCVP |
| Australia | New South Wales | WCVP |
| Australia | Northern Territory | WCVP |
| Australia | Queensland | WCVP |
| Australia | Western Australia | WCVP |
Activities
Alphitonia excelsa has 2 reported activities identified across 2 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported activities include Antimicrobial, Antioxidant.
- Total activities
- 2
- Scientific sources
- 2
Most Reported Activities
| Activity | Sources | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| Antimicrobial | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Antioxidant | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
Medicinal Uses
Alphitonia excelsa has 4 reported medicinal uses identified across 4 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported uses include childbirth, headache, inflammation, joint pain.
- Total uses
- 4
- Scientific sources
- 4
Most Reported Uses
| Use | Sources | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| childbirth | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| headache | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| inflammation | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| joint pain | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |