Milicia excelsa
African teak
Miliicia excelsa, commonly known as the Iroko tree, is a majestic timber species native to West African tropical forests. Beyond its immense commercial value, this plant holds significant ethnobotanical importance. Various parts are utilized in traditional medicine to treat ailments ranging from inflammation to various infections and skin conditions.
- Scientific name: Milicia excelsa
- Family: Moraceae
- Native range: Africa
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 Moraeaee. Finally, it is identified by the genus Milicia, specifically as the species Milicia excelsa.
| Rank | Classification | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Kingdom | Plantae | WCVP |
| Phylum | Streptophyta | WCVP |
| Class | Equisetopsida | WCVP |
| Subclass | Magnoliidae | WCVP |
| Order | Rosales | WCVP |
| Family | Moraceae | WCVP |
| Genus | Milicia | WCVP |
Common Names
This plant, known scientifically as Milicia excelsa, is referred to by various common names depending on the region and language. In Russian, it is called Ирокко, while in Finnish, it is known as afrikaniroko. It is identified in Japanese as ミリキア・エクスケルサ, and in Hausa, it goes by the name Loko. Additionally, in Singapore, it is referred to as Bangi.| Language | Common Name | Source |
|---|---|---|
| ru | Ироко | Wikidata |
| fi | afrikaniroko | Wikidata |
| ja | ミリキア・エクスケルサ | Wikidata |
| ha | Loko | Wikidata |
| sg | Bangi | Wikidata |
| zh | 金油木 | Wikidata |
| zh-hans | 金油木 | Wikidata |
| zh-cn | 金油木 | Wikidata |
| fr | Chlorophora excelsa | Wikidata |
| fr | Iroko | Wikidata |
Distribution
This plant, known as Milicia excelsa, is primarily distributed across the West Tropical Africa region. Specifically, its presence is documented within the borders of Benin. It can also be found growing in the landscapes of Burkina. Furthermore, the species is native to the territories of Gambia and Ghana. Finally, its geographical range extends to include Guinea-Bissau.
| Region | Area | Source |
|---|---|---|
| West Tropical Africa | Benin | WCVP |
| West Tropical Africa | Burkina | WCVP |
| West Tropical Africa | Gambia | WCVP |
| West Tropical Africa | Ghana | WCVP |
| West Tropical Africa | Guinea-Bissau | WCVP |
| West Tropical Africa | Guinea | WCVP |
| West Tropical Africa | Ivory Coast | WCVP |
| West Tropical Africa | Liberia | WCVP |
| West Tropical Africa | Nigeria | WCVP |
| West Tropical Africa | Togo | WCVP |
Plant Parts
This plant, known scientifically as Milicia excelsa, possesses various components that are utilized in traditional medicine, most notably the root. The root of this species is frequently harvested and processed to extract bioactive compounds used to treat various ailments. In many ethnobotanical practices, decoctions or infusions made from the root are applied for their specific therapeutic properties, making this particular part essential to the plant's medicinal profile.- Total parts
- 1
- Scientific sources
- 1
| Plant Part | Sources | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| root | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
Medicinal Uses
Milicia excelsa has 1 reported medicinal uses identified across 1 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported uses include amenorrhea.
- Total uses
- 1
- Scientific sources
- 1
Most Reported Uses
| Use | Sources | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| amenorrhea | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |