Pachyelasma
Pachyelasma | |
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A specimen of P. tessmannii from Yangambi, Democratic Republic of the Congo that is locally known as l'arbre de l'authenticité where tribal elders held court | |
Scientific classification ![]() | |
Kingdom: | Plantae |
Clade: | Tracheophytes |
Clade: | Angiosperms |
Clade: | Eudicots |
Clade: | Rosids |
Order: | Fabales |
Family: | Fabaceae |
Subfamily: | Caesalpinioideae |
Genus: | Pachyelasma Harms 1913 |
Species: | P. tessmannii |
Binomial name | |
Pachyelasma tessmannii (Harms) Harms 1913 | |
Synonyms[2] | |
Stachyothyrsus tessmannii Harms 1910[1] |
Pachyelasma is a genus of flowering plants in the legume subfamily Caesalpinioideae.[3] It contains only one species, Pachyelasmia tessmannii, which is native to central Africa.[2]
Description
[edit]Pachyelasma tessmannii is an evergreen tree growing up to 60 m (200 ft) tall with a straight, cylindrical trunk up to 2.5 m (8 ft 2 in) in diameter. The flowers are red and the fruits are four-angled black pods that may be up to 37 cm (15 in) in length.[2][4]
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/2/29/Botanische_Jahrb%C3%BCcher_f%C3%BCr_Systematik%2C_Pflanzengeschichte_und_Pflanzengeographie_%281912%29_%2814577323878%29.jpg/220px-Botanische_Jahrb%C3%BCcher_f%C3%BCr_Systematik%2C_Pflanzengeschichte_und_Pflanzengeographie_%281912%29_%2814577323878%29.jpg)
Distribution and habitat
[edit]Pachyelasma tessmannii can be found in the wet tropical regions of Cameroon, the Central African Republic, the Republic of the Congo, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Gabon, and Nigeria.[2]
Uses
[edit]The fruit is sometimes used by fishermen in remote areas of Cameroon and the Democratic Republic of Congo for poison fishing.[5] Some cocoa farmers in Cameroon mix the bark with other plant materials and extracts to create a natural pesticide[6]
References
[edit]- ^ Harms, H. (1911). Einige Nutzhölzer Kameruns. II. Leguminosae. Notizblatt Des Königl. Botanischen Gartens Und Museums Zu Berlin, 5, 9–75. http://www.jstor.org/stable/27669771
- ^ a b c d "Pachyelasma tessmannii (Harms) Harms". Plants of the World Online. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Archived from the original on 27 April 2022. Retrieved 9 August 2023.
- ^ The Legume Phylogeny Working Group (LPWG). (2017). "A new subfamily classification of the Leguminosae based on a taxonomically comprehensive phylogeny". Taxon. 66 (1): 44–77. doi:10.12705/661.3. hdl:10568/90658.
- ^ Doucet, Robin; Doucet, Jean-Loius; Lejeune, Phillipe; Verheyen, Cécile; De Mil, Tom; Martin, Patrick; Lagoute, Paul; Jourez, Benoit (2021). "Wood description and timber use investigation of Pachyelasma tessmannii (Harms) Harms". European Journal of Wood and Wood Products. 80: 199–212. doi:10.1007/s00107-021-01758-3.
- ^ Neuwinger, H. D. (2004). "Plants used for poison fishing in tropical Africa". Toxicon. 44 (4). Elsevier: 417–430. Bibcode:2004Txcn...44..417N. doi:10.1016/j.toxicon.2004.05.014. PMID 15302524.
- ^ Coulibaly, O.; Mbila, D.; Sonwa, D. J.; Adesina, Akin; Bakala, J. (2002). "Responding to economic crisis in sub Saharan Africa: New farmer-developed pest management strategies in cocoa-based plantations in Southern Cameroon". Integrated Pest Management Reviews. 7 (3). Kluwer Academic Publishers: 165–172. doi:10.1023/b:ipmr.0000027500.24459.fe. S2CID 83664935.