African Boxwood

Names and Synonyms

Common Names

• African Boxwood
• African-boxwood
• African Cape-Myrtle
• Cape Beech
• Cape-Myrtle
• Kurjan Seed
• Small Myrsine

Scientific Names

Accepted name

Synonyms

• Myrsine acuta
• Myrsine africana var. glandulosa
• Myrsine africana var. acuminata
• Myrsine bifaria
• Myrsine rotundifolia
• Myrsine retusa
• Myrsine scabra
• Myrsine bottensis
• Myrsine glabra
• Myrica montana
• Myrsine vacciniifolia
• Buxus dioica
• Myrsine africana var. bifaria
• Nageia arabica
• Rhamnus myrtillus
• Myrsine africana var. retusa
• Myrsine potama
• Samara potama

Regional and Traditional Names

Sources: Wikidata, Catalogue of Life

Taxonomical Classification

This plant belongs to the kingdom Plantae and the phylum Streptophyta, falling under the class Equisetopsida and subclass Magnoliidae. Within the order Ericales and the family Primulaceae, it is classified under the genus Myrsine.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Distribution

This plant exhibits a diverse geographical distribution that spans multiple continents and climates. In the northern reaches of its range, it can be found in Great Britain within Northern Europe. Its presence extends to the Macaronesian islands, specifically documented in the Azores. Within West-Central Tropical Africa, the species is located in both Rwanda and the DR Congo. Finally, its distribution reaches into Northeast Tropical Africa, where it is found in Eritrea.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Botanical Identification

Ecology

The ecology of Myrsine africana is characterized by its presence primarily within forest habitats, where it occupies a broad ecological niche across varying topographical gradients. This species exhibits a remarkable altitudinal plasticity, distributed from sea level up to significant highland elevations. Specifically, its elevational range begins at a minimum of 5 m AMSL and extends to a maximum of 3600 m AMSL, maintaining a mean elevation of approximately 2300 m AMSL within its preferred environmental settings.

Elevational range max:

3600 m AMSL

Elevational range mean:

2300 m AMSL

Elevational range min:

5 m AMSL

Habitat :

forest

Life history

The life history of Myrsine africana is characterized by its nature as a perennial organism, allowing it to persist in its environment through multiple growing seasons. This plant maintains a consistent vegetative presence due to its evergreen deciduousness, meaning it retains its foliage throughout the year rather than shedding it seasonally. This combination of a long-lived lifecycle and constant leaf cover enables the species to establish a stable ecological niche within its natural habitat.

Deciduousness :

evergreen

Lifecycle :

perennial

Morphology

The morphology of Myrsine africana is characterized by its growth form as a woody shrub, exhibiting a self-supporting structure rather than acting as a climber, vine, or liana. As a terrestrial plant, it does not exhibit aquatic or epiphytic tendencies and functions as an independent organism rather than a parasite. The plant's stature varies significantly depending on environmental conditions, with a minimum height of 0.4 m, a mean height of approximately 0.775 m, and a maximum potential height reaching up to 5 m.

Aquatic :

terrestrial

Climber :

self-supporting

Epiphyte :

terrestrial

Growth form :

shrub

Parasite :

independent

Plant height max:

5 m

Plant height mean:

0.775 m

Plant height min:

0.4 m

Woodiness :

woody

Physiology

The physiology of Myrsine africana is characterized by specific foliar dimensions and metabolic profiles that define its vegetative growth patterns. The leaves exhibit a range of morphological variations, with a mean leaf length of 1.5 cm, fluctuating between a minimum of 1 cm and a maximum of 2 cm. Correspondingly, the leaf width maintains a mean of 0.85 cm, with measurements ranging from a minimum of 0.7 cm to a maximum of 1 cm. Regarding its nutrient acquisition strategy, the plant does not function as a nitrogen fixer, meaning it relies on the uptake of available nitrogen from the soil through its root system rather than through symbiotic nitrogen-fixing bacteria.

Leaf length max:

2 cm

Leaf length mean:

1.5 cm

Leaf length min:

1 cm

Leaf width max:

1 cm

Leaf width mean:

0.85 cm

Leaf width min:

0.7 cm

Nitrogen fixer :

no

Reproduction

The reproduction of Myrsine africana is characterized by a specific seasonal flowering cycle and specialized pollination mechanics. The flowering period typically commences in July and concludes in November. In terms of its reproductive strategy, the plant does not engage in self-fertilization, as the trait for self-fertilization is noted as absent, suggesting a reliance on cross-pollination for genetic diversity. The resulting seeds exhibit a relatively small mass, with a mean seed mass of approximately 0.013945 g. The individual seed weights vary within a specific range, with a minimum recorded mass of 0.0054 g and a maximum mass reaching up to 0.01938 g.

Flowering time :

Jul

Flowering time :

Nov

Seed mass max:

0.01938 g

Seed mass mean:

0.013945 g

Seed mass min:

0.0054 g

Self fertilization :

absent

Sources: Global Inventory of Floras and Traits (GIFT)

Plant Parts

Myrsine africana has 2 reported plant parts identified across 3 scientific publications and several other databases that are studied for medicinal purposes. The most consistently reported plant part include root, leaf.

Root

1. Journal of natural products
2. Heliyon

Leaf

1. Heliyon

Chemicals

Myrsine africana has 8 reported phytochemicals identified across 3 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include 2-Hydroxychrysophanol, 5-Methoxy-7-hydroxyphthalide, Nepodin, RUTIN, Tannins.

2-Hydroxychrysophanol

1. Journal of natural products

5-Methoxy-7-hydroxyphthalide

1. Journal of natural products

Nepodin

1. Journal of natural products

RUTIN

1. Pakistan journal of pharmaceutical sciences

Tannins

1. Pakistan journal of pharmaceutical sciences

emodin

1. Journal of natural products

p-coumaric acid

1. Pakistan journal of pharmaceutical sciences

quercetin

1. Pakistan journal of pharmaceutical sciences

Activities

Myrsine africana has 3 reported activities identified across 3 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported activities include Antibacterial, Antioxidant, Cytotoxic.

Antibacterial

1. Pakistan journal of pharmaceutical sciences

Antioxidant

1. Pakistan journal of pharmaceutical sciences

Cytotoxic

1. Journal of natural products

Medicinal Uses

Myrsine africana has 3 reported medicinal uses identified across 3 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported uses include MRSA, Methicillin Resistant Staphylococcus aureus, tuberculosis.

Most Reported Uses

Preparations