African Elm

Names and Synonyms

Common Names

• African Elm
• African White-Stinkwood
• African-Elm
• Camdeboo Celtis
• Camdeboo Stinkwood
• Camdeboo-Stinkhout
• Camdeboo-Stinkwood
• Cannibal Stinkwood
• Cannibal-Stinkwood
• Common Celtis
• White-Stinkwood

Scientific Names

Accepted name

Synonyms

• Celtis kraussiana var. stolzii
• Celtis burmanni
• Celtis eriantha
• Celtis henriquesii
• Celtis holtzii
• Celtis kraussiana
• Celtis opegrapha
• Celtis vesiculosa
• Celtis kraussiana var. flavescens

Regional and Traditional Names

Sources: Wikidata, Catalogue of Life

Taxonomical Classification

This plant belongs to the kingdom Plantae and is classified under the phylum Streptophyta and the class Equisetopsida. Within the subclass Magnoliidae, it falls under the order Rosales and the family Cannabaceae. Finally, it is categorized under the genus Celtis.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Distribution

This plant, Celtis africana, exhibits a specific geographical distribution across the West Tropical Africa region. It can be found growing in the coastal and inland areas of Senegal and The Gambia. Its presence extends further east into the diverse landscapes of Guinea. Additionally, the species is well-established within the territory of Ghana. Finally, the distribution continues into the expansive regions of Nigeria.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Botanical Identification

Ecology

The ecology of Celtis africana is characterized by its adaptability to diverse forest environments, specifically thriving within dry evergreen and riverine forest habitats. This species exhibits a broad altitudinal distribution, occupying a wide vertical range that extends from low-lying areas at an elevation of 4 m AMSL to high-altitude environments reaching up to a maximum of 2160 m AMSL.

Elevational range max:

2160 m AMSL

Elevational range min:

4 m AMSL

Habitat :

dry evergreen and riverine forest

Life history

The life history of Celtis africana is characterized by its status as a perennial species, allowing it to establish long-term presence within its ecosystem. As a phanerophyte, the plant maintains its photosynthetic organs on woody stems that extend well above the ground level, a structural classification that supports its growth into a substantial tree form. Its seasonal development is marked by a deciduous nature, meaning it undergoes a period of dormancy where it sheds its foliage annually, typically in response to seasonal climatic shifts. This combination of a long-lived lifecycle, elevated growth habit, and seasonal leaf loss defines its biological strategy for survival and adaptation in its natural habitat.

Deciduousness :

deciduous

Life form :

phanerophyte

Lifecycle :

perennial

Morphology

The morphology of Celtis africana is characterized by its robust growth form as a woody tree. This species is strictly terrestrial in its habitat, functioning as an independent organism rather than acting as a parasite or an epiphyte. As a self-supporting plant, it does not exhibit climbing habits such as vines or lianas. In terms of stature, the plant displays significant size variability, with heights ranging from a minimum of 2 meters to a maximum of 30 meters, maintaining an average plant height of approximately 26 meters.

Aquatic :

terrestrial

Climber :

self-supporting

Epiphyte :

terrestrial

Growth form :

tree

Parasite :

independent

Plant height max:

30 m

Plant height mean:

26 m

Plant height min:

2 m

Woodiness :

woody

Physiology

The physiology of Celtis africana is characterized by a C3 photosynthetic pathway, which dictates its carbon fixation processes and metabolic efficiency. The plant's foliar morphology features leaves with a mean length of 6.4 cm and a mean width of 3.4 cm, supported by a relatively thin leaf structure with a mean thickness of 0.021 mm. Furthermore, this species does not function as a nitrogen fixer, meaning it relies on external soil nutrients rather than symbiotic nitrogen-fixing bacteria to meet its nitrogen requirements.

Leaf length mean:

6.4 cm

Leaf thickness mean:

0.021 mm

Leaf width mean:

3.4 cm

Nitrogen fixer :

no

Photosynthetic pathway :

C3

Reproduction

The reproduction of Celtis africana is characterized by a biotic pollination syndrome, primarily facilitated by insects and specifically by bees. The plant produces fruits classified as drupes, which are fleshy in texture and indehiscent, meaning they do not naturally split open at maturity to release their contents. These fruits are relatively small, with a mean length and width of approximately 0.6 cm. The seeds contained within the fruit are quite consistent in size, possessing a mean volume of 92 mm³ (with both minimum and maximum values recorded at this volume), a mean length of 5.4 mm, and a maximum height and width of 4.5 mm. The seed mass varies slightly, ranging from a minimum of 0.03182 g to a maximum of 0.0504 g, with a calculated mean mass of 0.04111 g. Regarding the movement of genetic material and offspring, the dispersal syndrome is identified as anemochorous, indicating that wind plays a significant role in the dispersal process.

Dehiscence :

indehiscent

Dispersal syndrome :

anemochorous

Fruit dryness :

fleshy

Fruit length mean:

0.6 cm

Fruit type :

drupe

Fruit width mean:

0.6 cm

Pollination syndrome :

insect

Pollination syndrome :

bee

Pollination syndrome :

biotic

Seed height max:

4.5 mm

Seed length mean:

5.4 mm

Seed mass max:

0.0504 g

Seed mass mean:

0.04111 g

Seed mass min:

0.03182 g

Seed volume max:

92 mm³

Seed width max:

4.5 mm

Sources: Global Inventory of Floras and Traits (GIFT)

Chemicals

Celtis africana has 1 reported phytochemicals identified across 0 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include acetone.

acetone

1. Pharmaceutical biology

Activities

Celtis africana has 3 reported activities identified across 0 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported activities include Antifungal, Antioxidant, Antiplasmodial.

Antifungal

1. Pharmaceutical biology

Antioxidant

1. Biochemistry research international

Antiplasmodial

1. Biochemistry research international

Conditions

Celtis africana has 3 reported investigations on conditions identified across 0 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported conditions include Cryptococcus neoformans, malaria, tuberculosis.

Cryptococcus neoformans

1. Pharmaceutical biology

Malaria

1. Biochemistry research international

Tuberculosis

1. Frontiers in pharmacology

Preparations

Celtis africana has 1 reported preparations identified across 0 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported preparations include Soxhlet extraction of plant samples in ethanol.

Soxhlet extraction of plant samples in ethanol

1. Biochemistry research international