Neocarya macrophylla.

Neocarya macrophylla.

Scientific Classification

  • Kingdom: Plantae
  • Clade: Angiosperms
  • Order: Malpighiales
  • Family: Chrysobalanaceae
  • Genus: Neocarya
  • Species: N. macrophylla

Synonyms

  • Parinari macrophylla Sabine

Species ID: NMP-206;wfo-0000817026;NCBI_Taxonomy ID: 692130

Common Names:

English: gingerbread plum, neou oil tree; the fruit: ginger plum (Sierra Leone, Deighton), rotten plum (locally, Dalziel). French: pomme (pommier) du Cayor (apple or apple tree of Cayor). Senegal: Balanta fe (Aub.; FB), Banyun kifokum (K&A), Basari anunu (Ferry), Bedik ginunu (Ferry), Diola bahab (AS; FB), bel (auctt.), bu ba (JB), bumafaye (Aub.), Diola (Efok) beul (K&A), buel (K&A), Diola (Fogny) ba (K; K&A), baa (DF), baabu (over-grown fruit; auctt.), ahab (DF), Diola (Kwaatay) nuhuntan (K&A), Diola-Flup bu ngafay (JB; hand-climber DF, The Gambia), Fula-Pulaar (Senegal) naode (K; K&A), neudi (K; K&A), Manding-Bambara danga (Aub.), tetu (Vuillet), vo (JB), wo (K&A), Mandinka tamba, tambakumbaa, Mandyak bunou (auctt.), Serer daf (auctt.), idaf (K; K&A), Serer-Non ferah (JMD; Aub.), neva (AS; Aub.), nif (AS; Aub.), Wolof neo (auctt.), neu (K; K&A). The Gambia: Diola (Fogny) baa, bahab, baabou (over-grown fruit; DF), bahab (AS), bel (AS), Fula-Pulaar (The Gambia) kura-bansuma-i (DRR; DAP), naude (JMD; DAP), Manding-Mandinka tambaa (indef. and def.; auctt.), tambakumbaa (big-headed tamba; DF), Wolof neong neu (JMD; FD). Guinea-Bissau: Balanta n-bute (JDES), n-djapo (JDES), njapo (EPdS), tehe (JDES), umbatu (JDES), undjapo (JDES), Bidyogo noronorodo (JDES), nororodo (EPdS), orodjo (JDES), Crioulo mampataz (GeS; JMD), mampataz grande (EPdS), Fula-Pulaar (Guinea-Bissau) cura-bussuma (JDES), curanaco (EPdS), nando (EPdS), naudo (JDES), tambacumba (GeS; RdoF), Manding-Mandinka neo tambacumba (JDES), Mandyak beno beno (JDES), bitiague (JDES), menau (JDES), Mankanya beno beno (JDES), bitiague (JDES), menau (JDES). Guinea: Fula-Pulaar (Guinea) kura-bansuma (CHOP), neudi (Aub.), niamui (Aub.), Susu bansuma (CHOP). Sierra Leone: Bulom (Sherbro) kisin-de (FCD; S&F), Krio benjamin (FCD; S&F), Limba makalonkalso (Glanville; FCD), Manding-Mandinka tamba (JMD), Mende foni-lawa (FCD; S&F), gise, gisini (auctt.), ndawa (JMD), Susu kobira-fire (FCD), tamui (FCD), Vai gisa (FCD), jo (FCD). Liberia: Kru-Basa tifi (Barker). Mali: Manding-Bambara danga (FB). Ivory Coast: Vulgar neu (K&B). Ghana: Nankanni nya (Lynn; FRI). Niger: Hausa gaosa (Aub.), Songhai gamsa (pl. -a; D&C). Nigeria: Fula-Fulfulde (Nigeria) naawdi (pl. naawde; the fruit MM), nawarre (the tree JMD; KO&S), node (the fruit JMD), Hausa bakar rura (RES), gawasaa (auctt.), Nupe kobenci (the fruit Banfield), putu (Banfield; KO&S), putu yiwo (female Banfield), putuba (male Banfield).

Local Names:

  • Hausa: "Gawasa" or "Farar rura"
  • Fulfulde: "Naawdi"
  • Nupe: "Kobenci"

Description

Neocarya macrophylla is characterized by:

  • Growth Form: A low-growing tree, often found in agricultural lands, with a gnarled bole and a rounded, bushy crown.
  • Leaves: Alternate, ovate to elliptic, measuring 10–25 cm in length and 5–15 cm in width; coriaceous with a downy underside.
  • Flowers: Small, white to cream-colored, borne in clusters.
  • Fruit: Spherical, velvety, yellowish-brown drupes containing a sweet, edible pulp and a hard seed.

Distribution and Habitat

Neocarya macrophylla is native to:

  • Regions: Western and Central Africa, from Senegal to Nigeria and extending to South Sudan.

It thrives in:

  • Habitats: Savannah areas, often found in agricultural lands and sometimes semi-cultivated.

The species is well-adapted to the seasonally dry tropical biome.

Medicinal Properties

Traditionally, various parts of N. macrophylla are used for:

  • Antibacterial and Antimicrobial Treatments: Addressing infections.
  • Antivenin Applications: Treating snake bites.
  • Analgesic and Anti-inflammatory Uses: Alleviating pain and inflammation.
  • Antiasthmatic and Anticancer Remedies: Managing respiratory conditions and certain cancers.

Phytochemical analyses have identified bioactive compounds such as steroids and flavonoids, including stigmasterol, quercetin, and catechin, which may contribute to these medicinal effects.

Known Toxicity

Acute toxicity studies indicate that the methanol stem bark extract of N. macrophylla has an intraperitoneal median lethal dose (LD₅₀) of 283 mg/kg in mice, suggesting moderate toxicity. Therefore, caution is advised, and consultation with knowledgeable practitioners is recommended before medicinal use.

Additional Information

  • Culinary Uses: The sweet pulp of the fruit is consumed fresh, and the seeds are processed for their oil content.
  • Economic Importance: The tree provides timber for small building needs, tool handles, and domestic items such as spoons.
  • Ecological Role: It contributes to the biodiversity of savannah ecosystems and serves as a food source for various animal species.

References

  1. Prance, G. T., & White, F. (1976). Neocarya macrophylla (Sabine) Prance ex F.White. Bulletin du Jardin botanique national de Belgique, 46, 308.
  2. Yusuf, A. J., Abdullahi, M. I., Musa, A. M., & Haruna, A. K. (2024). Neocarya macrophylla (Chrysobalanaceae): Review of taxonomy, ethnobotany, phytochemistry, and biological activities. Journal of Investigação Biomédica e Biofarmacêutica, 9(2), 111–115.
  3. World Flora Online. (n.d.). Neocarya macrophylla (Sabine) Prance ex F.White. Retrieved from https://www.worldfloraonline.org/taxon/wfo-0000817026
  4. JIRCAS. (n.d.). Neocarya macrophylla. Retrieved from https://www.jircas.go.jp/project/africa_dojo/FakaraPlants/Contents/Species_pages/Neocamac.html

External links

  1. https://tropical.theferns.info/viewtropical.php?id=Neocarya+macrophylla
  2. https://powo.science.kew.org/taxon/urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:168125-1
  3. https://www.gbif.org/species/7684641
  4. https://identify.plantnet.org/aft/species/Neocarya%20macrophylla%20(Sabine)%20Prance/data
  5. https://www.gbif.org/species/2984765
Compounds of Neocarya macrophylla.
References

Yusuf, A. J., Abdullahi, M. I., Musa, A. M., Haruna, A. K., Mzozoyana, V., & Sanusi, A. (2019). Isolation of epicatechin from the stem bark of Neocarya macrophylla (Sabine) Prance (Chrysobalanaceae). Nigerian Journal of Basic and Applied Sciences, 27(2), 101-107.