Sideroxylon inerme
White milkwood
Sideroxylon inerme, commonly known as the Sideroxylon, is a versatile medicinal plant prized for its diverse therapeutic properties. Frequently utilized in traditional medicine, its various parts offer potent bioactive compounds used to treat inflammation, skin ailments, and digestive issues, making it a significant resource in ethnobotanical studies and natural pharmacology.
- Scientific name: Sideroxylon inerme
- Family: Sapotaceae
- Native range: Africa
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, it is classified under the family Sapotaceae. Finally, it is identified by the genus Sideroxylon.
| Rank | Classification | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Kingdom | Plantae | WCVP |
| Phylum | Streptophyta | WCVP |
| Class | Equisetopsida | WCVP |
| Subclass | Magnoliidae | WCVP |
| Order | Ericales | WCVP |
| Family | Sapotaceae | WCVP |
| Genus | Sideroxylon | WCVP |
Common Names
This plant, known scientifically as Sideroxylon inerme, is referred to by various common names depending on the language and region. In Afrikaans, it is called Witmelkhout, while in Russian, it is known as Сидероксилон неколючий. In Catalan, the species is identified as arbre de ferro, and in Chinese, it is referred to as both 久榄 and 久榄 (zh-hans).| Language | Common Name | Source |
|---|---|---|
| af | Witmelkhout | Wikidata |
| ru | Сидероксилон неколючий | Wikidata |
| ca | arbre de ferro | Wikidata |
| zh | 久榄 | Wikidata |
| zh-hans | 久榄 | Wikidata |
| zh-cn | 久榄 | Wikidata |
| ar | سيدروكسيلون إنيرمي | Wikidata |
| zh-tw | 久欖 | Wikidata |
| en | white milkwood | Wikidata |
| zh | 海岸乳树 | Wikidata |
Distribution
This plant exhibits a widespread distribution across several regions of the African continent. In Northeast Tropical Africa, its presence is noted specifically within Somalia. Moving toward the eastern coast, it can be found throughout Kenya and Tanzania in East Tropical Africa. The species also extends into South Tropical Africa, where it grows in Mozambique. Finally, its range reaches into the southern reaches of the continent within Zimbabwe.
| Region | Area | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Northeast Tropical Africa | Somalia | WCVP |
| East Tropical Africa | Kenya | WCVP |
| East Tropical Africa | Tanzania | WCVP |
| South Tropical Africa | Mozambique | WCVP |
| South Tropical Africa | Zimbabwe | WCVP |
| Southern Africa | Cape Provinces | WCVP |
| Southern Africa | KwaZulu-Natal | WCVP |
| Southern Africa | Eswatini | WCVP |
| Southern Africa | Northern Provinces | WCVP |
| Western Indian Ocean | Aldabra | WCVP |
Chemicals
Sideroxylon inerme has 2 reported phytochemicals identified across 2 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include carotenoid, megastigmane.
- Total chemicals
- 2
- Scientific sources
- 2
Most Reported Compounds
| Compound | Sources | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| carotenoid | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| megastigmane | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
Activities
Sideroxylon inerme has 1 reported activities identified across 1 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported activities include Antioxidant.
- Total activities
- 1
- Scientific sources
- 1
Most Reported Activities
| Activity | Sources | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| Antioxidant | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |