Global InformationStrychnos usambarensis information
| Strychnos usambarensis | |
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Scientific classification 
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| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Eudicots |
| Clade: | Asterids |
| Order: | Gentianales |
| Family: | Loganiaceae |
| Genus: | Strychnos |
| Species: | S. usambarensis
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| Binomial name | |
| Strychnos usambarensis Gilg ex Engl.
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| Synonyms[1][2] | |
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Strychnos usambarensis is a shrub or small tree up to 15m tall or a 70m long liane of Sub-Saharan Africa, occurring in forest and woodland, mountain ravines and coastal bush, often on rocky slopes and named for the Usambara Mountains of Tanzania. The species is found from Guinea east to Nigeria, from Congo east to Kenya and south to kloofs of the Magaliesberg of South Africa. Bantu tribes from Rwanda and Tanzania produce an arrow poison from the root bark and leaves of this species, sometimes combining it with extracts from other plants. (see Toxalbumin)
The leaves are opposite, held in a horizontal plane, ovate to elliptic in shape with a characteristic drip-tip, and glossy dark green above. Flowers are small, in axillary clusters, whitish to yellowish-green, and fragrant. Fruits are soft-shelled and small, 1-1.5 cm in diameter, yellow when ripe, tapering to a collar at peduncle.
The genus Strychnos is represented by some 300 species of lianes, shrubs and small trees, fairly evenly divided among Asia, America, and Africa. [3]
- ^ "Strychnos usambarensis Gilg ex Engl". Plants of the World Online. The Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. n.d. Retrieved June 1, 2023.
- ^ "Strychnos usambarensis Gilg ex Engl". Catalogue of Life. Species 2000. n.d. Retrieved June 1, 2023.
- ^ Prota Database