Acokanthera schimperi
Encyclopedia
Acokanthera schimperi (syn. Acokanthera abyssinica, Acokanthera ouabaio, Carissa schimperi), belonging to a family of Apocynaceae
, is a small tree native to East Africa
and Yemen
.
. All plant parts contain acovenoside A and ouabaïne
, which are cardiotonic glycosides. Its fruit is edible, and is eaten as a famine food
. When ripe they are sweet but also slightly bitter. Unripe fruits have caused accidental poisoning as they are highly toxic.
The Maned Rat
spreads the plant's poison on its fur and becomes poisonous.
Apocynaceae
The Apocynaceae or dogbane family is a family of flowering plants that includes trees, shrubs, herbs, and lianas.Many species are tall trees found in tropical rainforests, and most are from the tropics and subtropics, but some grow in tropical dry, xeric environments. There are also perennial herbs...
, is a small tree native to East Africa
East Africa
East Africa or Eastern Africa is the easterly region of the African continent, variably defined by geography or geopolitics. In the UN scheme of geographic regions, 19 territories constitute Eastern Africa:...
and Yemen
Yemen
The Republic of Yemen , commonly known as Yemen , is a country located in the Middle East, occupying the southwestern to southern end of the Arabian Peninsula. It is bordered by Saudi Arabia to the north, the Red Sea to the west, and Oman to the east....
.
Uses
The bark, wood and roots of Acokanthera schimperi are used as an important ingredient of arrow poison in AfricaAfrica
Africa is the world's second largest and second most populous continent, after Asia. At about 30.2 million km² including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of the Earth's total surface area and 20.4% of the total land area...
. All plant parts contain acovenoside A and ouabaïne
Ouabain
Ouabain which is also named g-strophanthin, is a poisonous cardiac glycoside.-Sources:Ouabain is found in the ripe seeds of African plants Strophanthus gratus and the bark of Acokanthera ouabaio.-Function:...
, which are cardiotonic glycosides. Its fruit is edible, and is eaten as a famine food
Famine food
A famine food or poverty food is any inexpensive or readily-available foodstuff used to nourish people in times of extreme poverty or starvation, as during a war or famine...
. When ripe they are sweet but also slightly bitter. Unripe fruits have caused accidental poisoning as they are highly toxic.
The Maned Rat
Maned Rat
The maned rat , is a nocturnal, long-haired and bushy-tailed East African rodent that superficially resembles a porcupine.-Characteristics:...
spreads the plant's poison on its fur and becomes poisonous.