African yellowwood

Names and Synonyms

Common Names

• African yellowwood

Scientific Names

Accepted name

Synonyms

• Enantia chlorantha

Regional and Traditional Names

Sources: Wikidata, Catalogue of Life

Taxonomical Classification

This plant belongs to the kingdom Plantae within the phylum Streptophyta and the class Equisetopsida. It is further classified under the subclass Magnoliidae and the order Magnoliales, falling into the family Annonaceae. Finally, it is identified by the genus Annickia.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Distribution

This plant exhibits a specific distribution pattern primarily focused within the tropical regions of the African continent. In West Tropical Africa, its presence is documented in both Liberia and Nigeria. The species also extends into West-Central Tropical Africa, where it can be found in Cameroon and the Congo. Additionally, its range reaches the coastal region of Cabinda within the West-Central zone. Together, these locations highlight a concentrated geographical footprint across several diverse tropical nations.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Botanical Identification

Life history

The life history of Annickia chlorantha is characterized by its status as a perennial plant, allowing it to persist in its environment through multiple growing seasons. As a long-lived species, it establishes a robust presence within its native tropical habitats, undergoing continuous developmental cycles that support its long-term survival. Throughout its life cycle, the plant focuses on vegetative stability and periodic reproductive phases, ensuring its continued existence and ability to colonize its ecological niche over many years.

Lifecycle :

perennial

Morphology

The morphology of Annickiia chlorantha is characterized by its stature as a large, woody tree that reaches a mean height of approximately 25 m, with maximum recorded heights extending up to 27.43 m. As a terrestrial species, it maintains an independent growth habit, functioning neither as a parasite nor as an epiphyte. The plant is structurally self-supporting, lacking the climbing or vining tendencies of lianas, and exhibits a robust, woody growth form consistent with its classification as a substantial tree.

Aquatic :

terrestrial

Climber :

self-supporting

Epiphyte :

terrestrial

Growth form :

tree

Parasite :

independent

Plant height max:

27.43233358 m

Plant height mean:

25 m

Woodiness :

woody

Physiology

The physiology of Annickiia chlorantha is characterized by a C3 photosynthetic pathway, which involves the direct fixation of carbon dioxide through the Calvin cycle without the specialized anatomical adaptations found in C4 or CAM plants. This metabolic strategy dictates its efficiency in carbon assimilation and water-use dynamics within its natural habitat. Furthermore, the plant is not a nitrogen fixer, meaning it lacks the symbiotic relationship with diazotrophic bacteria required to convert atmospheric nitrogen into a usable form, relying instead on the uptake of available nitrogenous compounds from the soil to support its growth and physiological processes.

Nitrogen fixer :

no

Photosynthetic pathway :

C3

Reproduction

The reproduction of Annickia chlorantha is characterized by the development of specific fruit and seed structures essential to its life cycle. The plant produces fruit that maintains a fleshy consistency, transitioning from a moist state to a dry, fleshy texture as it matures. Within these fruits, the seeds are produced with highly consistent dimensions, exhibiting a uniform seed volume across the population. Detailed measurements indicate that the seed volume is constant, with a minimum, maximum, and mean value all recorded at exactly 820 mm³. This precision in seed size and the specific moisture characteristics of the fruit play a critical role in the successful dispersal and establishment of the species.

Fruit dryness :

fleshy

Seed volume max:

820 mm³

Sources: Global Inventory of Floras and Traits (GIFT)

Plant Parts

Annickia chlorantha has 3 reported plant parts identified across 7 scientific publications and several other databases that are studied for medicinal purposes. The most consistently reported plant part include leaf, stem, root.

Leaf

1. BMC complementary and alternative medicine
2. African journal of medicine and medical sciences
3. Journal of ethnopharmacology

Stem

1. Evidence-based complementary and alternative medicine : eCAM
2. Die Pharmazie
3. Parasitology research

Root

1. Journal of chromatography. A

Chemicals

Annickia chlorantha has 23 reported phytochemicals identified across 7 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include Palmatine, ACETOGENINS, 7,8-Dihydro-8-hydroxypalmatine, Acetogenin, Br-.

Palmatine

1. Journal of chromatography. A
2. Natural product research
3. Frontiers in bioscience (Elite edition)

ACETOGENINS

1. Journal of ethnopharmacology
2. Plants (Basel, Switzerland)

7,8-Dihydro-8-hydroxypalmatine

1. Die Pharmazie

Acetogenin

1. Parasitology research

Br-

1. Frontiers in bioscience (Elite edition)

CA

1. Frontiers in bioscience (Elite edition)

Cl-

1. Frontiers in bioscience (Elite edition)

DL-Tetrahydropalmatine

1. Journal of chromatography. A

FE

1. Frontiers in bioscience (Elite edition)

Flavonoids

1. BMC complementary medicine and therapies

Activities

Annickia chlorantha has 6 reported activities identified across 7 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported activities include Antimalarial, Antimicrobial, Antioxidant, Antiperoxidative, Antisecretory.

Antimalarial

1. African journal of medicine and medical sciences
2. Scientifica
3. Parasitology research

Antimicrobial

1. African journal of medicine and medical sciences

Antioxidant

1. BMC complementary medicine and therapies

Antiperoxidative

1. BMC complementary medicine and therapies

Antisecretory

1. Die Pharmazie

Cytotoxic

1. Journal of ethnopharmacology

Conditions

Annickia chlorantha has 1 reported investigations on conditions identified across 7 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported conditions include malaria.

Malaria

1. Journal of ethnopharmacology

Preparations

Annickia chlorantha has 21 reported preparations identified across 7 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported preparations include Hepasor, aqueous extract, stem bark, Awopa (Bark), Decoctions.

Hepasor

1. Pathobiology : journal of immunopathology, molecular and cellular biology
2. Acta anatomica

Aqueous extract

1. The Central African journal of medicine
2. Annals of tropical medicine and parasitology

Stem bark

1. Die Pharmazie
2. Parasitology research

Awopa (bark)

1. Journal of ethnopharmacology

Decoctions

1. Phytomedicine : international journal of phytotherapy and phytopharmacology

Aqueous and ethanolic extracts

1. The Central African journal of medicine

Aqueous preparations

1. The Central African journal of medicine

Aqueous stem bark extract

1. BMC complementary medicine and therapies

Bark

1. Die Pharmazie

Barks using water and ethanol as solvents

1. Frontiers in bioscience (Elite edition)