false sandalwood

Names and Synonyms

Common Names

• false sandalwood
• tallownut
• tallowwood
• yellow-plum
• Hog plum
• Yellow Plum
• blue sourplum
• penepne

Scientific Names

Accepted name

Synonyms

• Heymassoli inermis
• Heymassoli spinosa
• Ximenia americana var. microphylla
• Ximenia arborescens
• Ximenia exarmata
• Ximenia elliptica
• Ximenia aculeata
• Ximenia fluminensis
• Ximenia subscandens
• Ximenia inermis
• Ximenia laurina
• Ximenia oblonga
• Ximenia multiflora
• Ximenia montana
• Ximenia rogersii
• Ximenia gabonensis
• Ximenia americana var. oblonga
• Ximenia americana var. argentinensis
• Ximenia americana var. ovata
• Ximenia americana var. sphaerica
• Ximenia americana var. oxypyrena
• Ximenia americana var. elliptica
• Ximenia spinosa
• Ximenia americana var. inermis
• Ziziphus littorea
• Ximenia verrucosa

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 Santalales, it is classified under the family Olacaceae. It is specifically identified by the genus Ximenia and the species Ximenia americana.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Distribution

This plant exhibits a specific geographical distribution that spans across both Atlantic islands and the African mainland. Within the Macaronesia region, its presence is noted in Cape Verde. Moving to West Tropical Africa, the species can be found in Benin and Burkina. Its range further extends through the coastal and inland territories of the Gambia. Finally, the distribution includes the country of Ghana, completing its documented presence in these areas.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Botanical Identification

Ecology

The ecology of Ximenia americana is characterized by its adaptability to diverse landscapes, ranging from sea level up to an elevation of 1980 m AMSL. This species is primarily found occupying coastal bushland, wooded grassland, or dry woodland environments, where it thrives in habitats that typically feature varying degrees of moisture availability and exposure. Its broad altitudinal distribution, spanning from 0 m to 1980 m AMSL, allows it to inhabit a wide array of ecological niches, from low-lying maritime zones to higher-altitude terrestrial ecosystems.

Elevational range max:

1980 m AMSL

Elevational range min:

0 m AMSL

Habitat :

coastal bushland, wooded grassland or dry woodland

Life history

The life history of Ximenia americana is characterized by its status as a perennial organism, allowing it to persist in its environment through multiple growing seasons. As a phanerophyte, the plant maintains its photosynthetic organs on elevated branches above the soil surface, a structural strategy that defines its life form. Its seasonal development is marked by a deciduous nature, meaning it undergoes a period of leaf shedding, typically in response to seasonal environmental shifts. This combination of a long-lived perennial lifecycle, a phanerophyte growth habit, and deciduous foliage dictates its physiological rhythm and its ability to occupy its ecological niche over time.

Deciduousness :

deciduous

Life form :

phanerophyte

Lifecycle :

perennial

Morphology

The morphology of Ximenia americana is characterized by its woody structure and diverse growth forms, which can manifest as either a shrub or a tree. As a terrestrial species, it does not exhibit aquatic or epiphytic habits, growing independently rather than as a parasite. The plant's stature is highly variable, with heights ranging from a minimum of 1 meter to a maximum of 12 meters, resulting in a mean plant height of approximately 4.785 meters. Additionally, while it possesses the structural integrity to be classified as self-supporting, it does not function as a climber, liana, or vine.

Aquatic :

terrestrial

Climber :

self-supporting

Epiphyte :

terrestrial

Growth form :

tree

Growth form :

shrub

Parasite :

independent

Plant height max:

12 m

Plant height mean:

4.785 m

Plant height min:

1 m

Woodiness :

woody

Physiology

The physiology of Xiemenia americana is characterized by specific leaf morphological parameters and metabolic constraints. The foliage typically exhibits a mean leaf length of 4 cm, with dimensions ranging from a minimum of 3 cm to a maximum of 5 cm. In terms of lateral expansion, the leaf width fluctuates between a minimum of 2 cm and a maximum of 3 cm. From a structural standpoint, the plant does not exhibit succulence, indicating a lack of specialized water-storage tissues in its leaves. Furthermore, its metabolic profile is defined by its inability to perform biological nitrogen fixation, as it does not function as a nitrogen fixer.

Leaf length max:

5 cm

Leaf length mean:

4 cm

Leaf length min:

3 cm

Leaf width max:

3 cm

Leaf width min:

2 cm

Nitrogen fixer :

no

Succulence :

no

Reproduction

The reproductive cycle of Ximeniia americana is characterized by a biotic pollination syndrome, primarily involving insects such as bees to facilitate fertilization. The plant produces inflorescences that are relatively small, with lengths ranging from a minimum of 0.015 m to a maximum of 0.025 m. Following successful pollination, the plant develops fleshy, indehiscent drupes. These fruits vary in size, with an average length of 2.5 cm (ranging from 2 cm to 3 cm) and an average width of 2.5 cm (ranging from 2 cm to 3 cm). The seeds contained within these fleshy fruits are substantial, exhibiting a mean mass of 0.7338 g (with a range of 0.62 g to 0.834 g) and a mean volume of 2050 mm³ (ranging from 1800 mm³ to 2300 mm³). Dispersal is achieved through a zoochorous syndrome, specifically via endozoochory, where the fleshy nature of the fruit encourages consumption by animals to aid in seed distribution.

Dehiscence :

indehiscent

Dispersal syndrome :

zoochorous

Dispersal syndrome :

endozoochorous

Fruit dryness :

fleshy

Fruit length max:

3 cm

Fruit length mean:

2.5 cm

Fruit length min:

2 cm

Fruit type :

drupe

Fruit width max:

3 cm

Fruit width mean:

2.5 cm

Fruit width min:

2 cm

Inflorescence length max:

0.025 m

Inflorescence length min:

0.015 m

Pollination syndrome :

insect

Pollination syndrome :

bee

Pollination syndrome :

biotic

Seed mass max:

0.834 g

Seed mass mean:

0.7338 g

Seed mass min:

0.62 g

Seed volume max:

2300 mm³

Seed volume mean:

2050 mm³

Seed volume min:

1800 mm³

Sources: Global Inventory of Floras and Traits (GIFT)

Plant Parts

Ximenia americana 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 stem, leaf.

Stem

1. Journal of parasitology research
2. Comparative immunology, microbiology and infectious diseases

Leaf

1. Journal of ethnopharmacology

Chemicals

Ximenia americana has 8 reported phytochemicals identified across 3 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include Galacturonic acid, Quercetrin, arabinose, caffeic acid, fucose.

Galacturonic acid

1. Biomedicine & pharmacotherapy = Biomedecine & pharmacotherapie

Quercetrin

1. Comparative immunology, microbiology and infectious diseases

arabinose

1. Biomedicine & pharmacotherapy = Biomedecine & pharmacotherapie

caffeic acid

1. Comparative immunology, microbiology and infectious diseases

fucose

1. Biomedicine & pharmacotherapy = Biomedecine & pharmacotherapie

galactose

1. Biomedicine & pharmacotherapy = Biomedecine & pharmacotherapie

glucose

1. Biomedicine & pharmacotherapy = Biomedecine & pharmacotherapie

rhamnose

1. Biomedicine & pharmacotherapy = Biomedecine & pharmacotherapie

Activities

Ximenia americana has 4 reported activities identified across 3 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported activities include Antibacterial, Antidiabetic, Antimicrobial, Antiparasitic.

Antibacterial

1. Comparative immunology, microbiology and infectious diseases

Antidiabetic

1. Planta medica

Antimicrobial

1. Comparative immunology, microbiology and infectious diseases

Antiparasitic

1. Comparative immunology, microbiology and infectious diseases

Conditions

Ximenia americana has 9 reported investigations on conditions identified across 3 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported conditions include Edema, amenorrhea, bacterial infections, eye infections, inflammation.

Edema

1. Biomedicine & pharmacotherapy = Biomedecine & pharmacotherapie

Amenorrhea

1. Journal of ethnopharmacology

Bacterial infections

1. Comparative immunology, microbiology and infectious diseases

Eye infections

1. Frontiers in veterinary science

Inflammation

1. Biomedicine & pharmacotherapy = Biomedecine & pharmacotherapie

Pain

1. Journal of ethnopharmacology

Pleurisy

1. Biomedicine & pharmacotherapy = Biomedecine & pharmacotherapie

Schistosomiasis

1. Journal of parasitology research

Wound healing

1. Journal of ethnopharmacology

Preparations

Ximenia americana has 6 reported preparations identified across 3 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported preparations include Extracts of the bark, Extracts of the leaves, Extracts of the root, Extracts of the stem, hydroethanolic barks extract.

Extracts of the bark

1. Fitoterapia

Extracts of the leaves

1. Fitoterapia

Extracts of the root

1. Fitoterapia

Extracts of the stem

1. Fitoterapia

Hydroethanolic barks extract

1. Biomedicine & pharmacotherapy = Biomedecine & pharmacotherapie

Methanol extracts

1. Journal of parasitology research