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| Prunus africana | |
|---|---|
| |
| With harvested bark, on Mount Cameroon | |
Scientific classification 
| |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Eudicots |
| Clade: | Rosids |
| Order: | Rosales |
| Family: | Rosaceae |
| Genus: | Prunus |
| Subgenus: | Prunus subg. Cerasus |
| Section: | P. sect. Laurocerasus |
| Species: | P. africana
|
| Binomial name | |
| Prunus africana | |
| Synonyms[3][4] | |
|
Pygeum africanum Hook.f. | |
Prunus africana, the African cherry,[1] has a wide distribution in Africa, occurring in montane regions of central and southern Africa and on the islands of Bioko, São-Tomé, Grande Comore, and Madagascar.[5] It can be found at 900–3,400 m (3,000–10,000 ft) above sea level. It is a canopy tree 30–40 m in height, and is the tallest member of Prunus.[4] Large-diameter trees have impressive, spreading crowns. It requires a moist climate, 900–3,400 mm (35–130 in) annual rainfall, and is moderately frost-tolerant.[6][7][8][9][10][11] P. africana appears to be a light-demanding, secondary-forest species.
The bark is black to brown, corrugated or fissured, and scaly, fissuring in a characteristic rectangular pattern. The leaves are alternate, simple, 8–20 cm (3.1–7.9 in) long, elliptical, bluntly or acutely pointed, glabrous, and dark green above, pale green below, with mildly serrated margins. A central vein is depressed on top, prominent on the bottom. The 2 cm (0.8 in) petiole is pink or red. The flowers are androgynous, 10-20 stamens, insect-pollinated, 3–8 cm (1–3 in), greenish white or buff, and are distributed in 70 mm (2.8 in) axillary racemes. The plant flowers October through May. The fruit is a drupe, red to brown, 7–13 mm (0.3–0.5 in), wider than long, two-lobed, with a seed in each lobe. It grows in bunches ripening September through November, several months after pollination.
- ^ a b Hills, R.; Cheek, M. (2021). "Prunus africana". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2021: e.T33631A2837924. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2021-3.RLTS.T33631A2837924.en. Retrieved 13 February 2023.
- ^ "Appendices | CITES". cites.org. Archived from the original on 2023-06-03. Retrieved 2022-01-14.
- ^ "Sorting Prunus Names". Multilingual Multiscript Plant Name Database. Archived from the original on May 28, 2010. Retrieved November 3, 2010.
- ^ a b Hall, J.B.; Sinclair, Fergus L; O'Brien, Eileen M. (2000). Prunus Africana – A Monograph. Bangor: University of Wales. ISBN 1-84220-048-8.
- ^ Kalkman, C. (1965). "The Old World species of Prunus subg. Laurocerasus including those formerly referred to Pygeum". Blumea. 13: 1–174. Archived from the original on 2020-06-12. Retrieved 2020-05-12.
- ^ "Prunus africana". Germplasm Resources Information Network. Agricultural Research Service, United States Department of Agriculture. Retrieved 21 December 2017.
- ^ "Pygeum africanum". Germplasm Resources Information Network. Agricultural Research Service, United States Department of Agriculture. Retrieved 21 December 2017.
- ^ Dharani, Najma (2002). Field Guide to Common Trees and Shrubs of East Africa. New Holland. p. 150. ISBN 1-86872-640-1. Previewable Google Books.
- ^ Cunningham, A.B.; Mbenkum, F.T. (May 1993). "Sustainability of harvesting Prunus africana bark in Cameroon: A medicinal plant in international trade" (PDF). People and Plants working papers. Division of Ecological Sciences, UNESCO. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2007-09-28. Retrieved 2007-02-02.
- ^ World Health Organization; Inc. NetLibrary (2002). WHO Monographs on Selected Medicinal Plants: Volume 2. Geneva: World Health Organization. p. 246. ISBN 92-4-154537-2. Previewable Google Books.
- ^ Nonjinge, Siyabulela (October 2006). "Prunus africana (Hook.f.) Kalkman". PlantZAfrica.com. South African National Biodiversity Institute. Archived from the original on 2012-09-10. Retrieved 2007-09-15.