Funtumia africana
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Funtumia africana
Common Names: Male
Funtum, African Rubber Tree Scientific Classification
Kingdom: Plantae Clade: Tracheophytes Clade: Angiosperms Clade: Eudicots Clade: Asterids Order: Gentianales Family: Apocynaceae Genus: Funtumia Species: F. africana Synonyms: Tombea
africana (Benth.) Kuntze Morphological Description
Funtumia africana is a tall, evergreen tree
that typically reaches heights of 15–30 meters, though exceptional specimens
may grow taller in undisturbed forests. Its key morphological features include: · Bark: Rough,
greenish-brown to grey, often smooth in younger trees, becoming fissured with
age; exudes a milky latex when cut. · Leaves: Simple,
opposite, elliptic to lanceolate (5–32 cm long, 1.7–17 cm wide), glossy dark
green, leathery, with an acuminate apex and cuneate base; petioles 3–15 mm
long. · Flowers: Creamy-yellow,
fragrant, bisexual, arranged in terminal or axillary cymes; corolla tubular,
5-lobed, approximately 1–2 cm long. · Fruit: Fusiform
follicles (15–25 cm long), grey-brown, containing numerous flat, winged seeds
with silky hairs facilitating wind dispersal. The tree’s straight, cylindrical trunk may develop buttress roots
in mature specimens, enhancing stability in rainforest environments (Omino,
2002). Distribution and Habitat
Funtumia africana is native to tropical
West and Central Africa, spanning latitudes from 10°N to 15°S. It is documented
in: · West Africa: Nigeria,
Ghana, Côte d’Ivoire, Sierra Leone (annual rainfall 1,500–3,000 mm). · Central Africa: Cameroon,
Democratic Republic of Congo, extending southwards to Mozambique (altitude
0–1,500 m). It thrives in humid lowland rainforests, gallery forests, and
secondary forests, preferring well-drained, loamy soils with a pH of 5.0–6.5.
The species is shade-tolerant in its juvenile stages, making it a common
understory tree before maturing into the canopy (Akoègninou et al., 2006). Ethnopharmacology
Funtumia africana holds significant value
in West African traditional medicine, with various parts used to treat a range
of ailments. The roots are traditionally pounded and mixed with palm-wine and
water to treat urinary incontinence, and a root decoction is used for amoebic
dysentery. The dried powdered leaves are applied to treat burns. The tree
contains several alkaloids, including funtumine and funtumidine, which are
hypotensive and locally anesthetic. These compounds are also precursors to
steroidal hormones. Ethnopharmacological studies support these uses: · Respiratory Conditions: Bark
decoctions are widely used in Nigeria and Ghana to treat coughs, bronchitis,
and asthma. Ramadwa et al. (2017) found that leaf extracts exhibit
anti-inflammatory activity, reducing nitric oxide production by 45% in
LPS-stimulated RAW 264.7 cells, supporting its use in respiratory inflammation. · Antimicrobial
Properties: The latex and bark are traditionally applied to wounds and
infections. A study by Adekunle and Ikumapayi (2006) confirmed that ethanol
extracts of the leaves inhibit Staphylococcus
aureus and Escherichia
coli with MIC values of 50–100 μg/ml, validating antimicrobial
claims. · Antimalarial Activity: In
Côte d’Ivoire, bark infusions are used against malaria. · Pain and Fever Relief: Leaf
poultices are applied for pain and fever in Cameroon. The presence of conanine
and related alkaloids may contribute to analgesic effects, though specific
studies on this are limited (Burkill, 1985). Phytochemical analyses reveal steroidal alkaloids (e.g., conanine, funtumine) and triterpenoids in the bark and leaves, which likely underpin its bioactivity (Ramadwa et al., 2017). ⚠ Toxicity Profile: The milky latex of Funtumia africana is irritant to skin
and eyes and has been used traditionally as an arrow poison by the Guere people
of Côte d’Ivoire. High doses of bark extracts (>2,000 mg/kg) in rodent
studies showed mild hepatotoxicity, suggesting caution in prolonged use
(Adekunle & Ikumapayi, 2006).Additional Uses
· Rubber Production: The
latex was historically tapped for rubber, though it is less elastic and
commercially inferior to Hevea
brasiliensis. It remains a minor resource in local economies
(Omino, 2002). · Timber: The
soft, light wood (density ~450 kg/m³) is used for carvings, tool handles, and
temporary construction in rural areas (Akoègninou et al., 2006). · Birdlime: Latex
extracts are processed into a sticky substance for trapping birds, a
traditional practice in West Africa (Burkill, 1985). References
Adekunle, A. A., & Ikumapayi, A. M. (2006). Antifungal
property and phytochemical screening of the crude extracts of Funtumia africana and Funtumia elastica. African Journal of Biotechnology, 5(10), 828–833. Akoègninou, A., van der Burg, W. J., & van der Maesen, L. J.
G. (Eds.). (2006). Flore
analytique du Bénin. Backhuys Publishers. Burkill, H. M. (1985). The
useful plants of West Tropical Africa (Vol. 1). Royal Botanic
Gardens, Kew. Omino, E. (2002). Apocynaceae
(part 1). Rotterdam: Balkema. Ramadwa, T. E., Elgorashi, E. E., McGaw, L. J., Ahmed, A. S.,
& Eloff, J. N. (2017). Antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory activity and
cytotoxicity of Funtumia
africana leaf extracts, fractions and the isolated methyl
ursolate. South
African Journal of Botany, 108,
126–131. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sajb.2016.10.019 External Links
Green Institute - Funtumia africana More Pictures
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| Compounds of Funtumia africana | |
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