Xylopia staudtii

Xylopia staudtii Engl & Diels is a tall tree within the Annonaceae family, it can grow up to tall, the tallest height of the African Xylopia trees. It occurs in forest and freshwater swamps in West Africa.

Description

The species has a straight and slender trunk with branching stilts roots and sometimes stilted peg-roots or pneumatophores, These pneumatophores can be up to in height, but much thinner than cypress knees, so that they need prop roots to hold them upright. Its diameter as measured by the d.b.h. can be up to 80 cm. The leaves are somewhat leathery and discolourous, paler abaxially, measures between 5.1-11.8 cm long and 2.0-5.6 cm wide. The leaf-blades are oblanceolate to obovate and sometimes elliptical outlined, blunt to acuminate apex, cuneate at the base, and decurrent on petiole. The fruit, up to 5 borne on a pedicel, have a green exterior and scarlet interior, are oblong shaped, thick walled and sparsely pubescent to glabrate.

Distribution

Occurs in West and Central Africa in high forest or swampy forest zones. It is widely spread in the Takamanda Reserve in Cameroon.

Uses

Locals use stem bark extracts to treat dysentery in Cameroun and cold in Côte d'Ivoire.