NAME: Caloncoba glauca
FAMILY: Flacourtiaceae
COMMON NAMES: Caloncoba
LOCAL NAMES: Kakandika, pomuseghe
MORPHOLOGY DESCRIPTION: A small tree about 15 m tall native to rainforests in western Tropical Africa with a spreading crown of simple leaves and attractive, white and orange flowers followed by edible fruits.
USEFUL PART(s): Seeds, root, bark, leaf
GENERAL USES:
Medicinal purpose
GEOGRAPHICAL DISTRIBUTION
Cameroon, Congo, Guinea, Cote d’ivoire
WHY IS IT GREEN?
Leprosy
skin lesions
pustular skin eruptions
migraines
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT
Though the fruit is edible the seed can be poisonous to animals
FUN FACTS
In Congo (Brazzaville) leaf-sap is put on the temples to relieve migraine
FURTHER READINGS
Mpetga, J. D. S., Tene, M., Wabo, H. K., Li, S. F., Kong, L. M., He, H. P., Hao, X. J., & Tane, P. (2012). Cytotoxic cycloartanes from the fruits of Caloncoba glauca. Phytochemistry Letters. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.phytol.2011.12.006
Simo Mpetga, J. D., He, H. P., Hao, X. J., Leng, Y., & Tane, P. (2014). Further cycloartane and friedelane triterpenoids from the leaves of Caloncoba glauca. Phytochemistry Letters. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.phytol.2013.09.015