Zanha golungensis

Zanha golungensis
Conservation status
Least Concern  (IUCN 3.1)
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
Clade:	Tracheophytes
Clade:	Angiosperms
Clade:	Eudicots
Clade:	Rosids
Order:	Sapindales
Family:	Sapindaceae
Genus:	Zanha
Species:	Z. golungensis
Binomial name
Zanha golungensis Hiern
Synonyms
Talisiopsis oliviformis Radlk. Zanha vuilletii A.Chev.

Zanha golungensis, commonly known as the smooth-fruited zanha, is a species of plant in the family Sapindaceae that is native to Africa. It is used locally for timber and herbal medicine.

Distribution and habitat

Z. golungensis is widely distributed across tropical Africa and can be found in Angola, Benin, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ethiopia, Ghana, Guinea, Ivory Coast, Kenya, Malawi, Mali, Mozambique, Nigeria, Rwanda, Senegal, South Sudan, Sudan, Tanzania, Togo, Uganda, Zambia, and Zimbabwe. It primarily occurs in deciduous woodland and forest at altitudes of 300–1,700 m (980–5,580 ft), occurring less commonly in evergreen forest and drier areas of riparian forest.

Description

Z. golungensis is a shrub or small to medium sized tree growing to 30–40 m (98–131 ft) tall. The trunk is cylindrical, sometimes crooked, growing up to 170 cm (67 in) wide. The bark is greyish to dark brown and flaky. The leaves are paripinnate, each bearing between 3 and 7 pairs of leaflets in an alternate arrangement. The leaflets are ovate to elliptic or oblong-elliptic, with a cuneate base and a blunt tip, each measuring 6–17 cm (2.4–6.7 in) by 2–5.5 cm (0.79–2.17 in). The leaflets are hairless or sparsely hairy and borne on 2 mm (0.079 in) long petiolules. The petioles measure up to 12 cm (4.7 in) long, forming a rachis measuring up to 15 cm (5.9 in) long. The inflorescence is a dense panicle, with individual flowers borne on pedicels that measure up to 3 cm (1.2 in) long. The flowers are small, greenish in colour, and sweet-scented. The flowers lack petals, instead having 4 to 5 sepals, each approximately 4.5 mm (0.18 in) long, fused at the base and hairy on the outside. This species is dioecious, with male flowers lacking an ovary and female flowers bearing only rudimentary stamens. The fruit is a hairless yellow, orange, or pink drupe, measuring 2 cm (0.79 in) by 1.5 cm (0.59 in). The seed is ellipsoid and measures up to 2 cm (0.79 in) long.

Ecology

Z. golungensis is deciduous, shedding most of its leaves during the dry season. Flowering occurs before the appearance of new leaves. The fruits are eaten by birds, chimpanzees, gorillas, and monkeys, who likely serve as seed dispersers.

Uses

The wood of Z. golungensis is not considered commercially valuable as timber, but is used locally for construction, firewood, and furniture building. Several parts of the plant contain saponins and the bark is sometimes used as a substitute for soap. Some sources claim that the fruits are not eaten by humans, but other accounts from the Democratic Republic of Congo, Malawi, Togo, and Uganda dispute this. The bark, leaves, roots, and twigs of Z. golungensis are widely used as herbal medicine for a variety of ailments, including aches and pains, fevers, headaches, gastrointestinal problems, nausea, respiratory problems, toothaches. Herbal preparations of Z. golungensis are also reported to be used to facilitate childbirth, treat disorders of pregnancy, and as a galactagogue.

External links

• Zanha golungensis in West African plants – A Photo Guide.