Trilepisium
| Urnfigs | |
|---|---|
| |
| T. madagascariense | |
Scientific classification 
| |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Eudicots |
| Clade: | Rosids |
| Order: | Rosales |
| Family: | Moraceae |
| Tribe: | Dorstenieae |
| Genus: | Trilepisium Thouars (1806) |
| Species[1] | |
| |
| Synonyms[1] | |
| |
Trilepisium, the urnfigs or false-figs, is a small Afrotropical genus of plants in family Moraceae. They grow to medium-sized or large trees that occur in evergreen and semi-deciduous forests, flooded forests or forest patches and often along rivers and streams,[2] and at elevations of up to 2,000 m[3] and over.[4]
Description
The bole may be 60 cm wide, and is often fluted at the base.[4] The smooth, grey bark is very lenticellate[5] and exudes a cream-coloured latex when damaged.[3] The yellowish to pinkish slash turns purple-red as it dries.[5] They usually branch high up to form a small and loosely pyramidal crown[4] with drooping twigs. Stipules of terminal buds eventually leave annular scars.[5]
The glossy and very dark elliptic leaves have a prominent driptip,[2] and measure up to 14 cm long.[3] They are glossy below, and have two small lobes at the base.[5]
The flowers appear in spring and are arranged in a whitish to mauve puff.[3] The puff is about 1 cm in diameter,[2] and consists of staminate male flowers and pistillate female flowers, without perianths,[3] which obscure the view of the receptacle.[6] The flowers protrude from the open apex of an urn-shaped receptacle which is about 1.5 cm long.[2]
The fig-like fruit, embedded in the fleshy receptacles, are some 2 cm long.[3] They are ellipsoidal in shape and hold a nutlet each.[2][5] Ripe fruit have the appearance of blue plums.[5]
Species
The two species are distinguished on floral characteristics:[7]
- Trilepisium gymnandrum (Baker) J.Gerlach – Silhouette Island, Seychelles
- Trilepisium madagascariense DC. – African mainland, Madagascar and Annobón island[4]
Uses and species associations
The wood of T. madagascariense is suitable for furniture, and the sap yields a red dye.[2] Its roasted seeds are eaten and it is sometimes cultivated.[4] A methanol extract, fractions and isoliquiritigenin from T. madagascariense stem bark has been shown to possess antidiarrheal activities,[8] and previously unknown trilepisflavan and trilepisuimic acid compounds were isolated from it in 2012.[9]
Trilepisium madagascariense is a larval foodplant for the butterfly Cyrestis camillus sublineata.[2] On the Seychelles the seeds are likely dispersed by frugivorous birds and fruit bats, but the pollinators are unknown.[7]
References
- ^ a b Trilepisium Thouars. Plants of the World Online. Retrieved 23 April 2024.
- ^ a b c d e f g Van Wyk, Braam; et al. (1997). Field Guide to Trees of Southern Africa. Cape Town: Struik. p. 82. ISBN 978-1-86825-922-9.
- ^ a b c d e f Hyde, M.; et al. "Trilepisium madagascariense DC". Flora of Zimbabwe. Retrieved 19 November 2014.
- ^ a b c d e "Trilepisium madagascariense DC". Base de données des plantes d'Afrique. Conservatoire et Jardin botaniques & SANBI. 2012. Retrieved 19 November 2014.
- ^ a b c d e f Jongkind, C.; et al. "Trilepisium madagascariense". Fauna and Flora of Liberia. Retrieved 19 November 2014.
- ^ Robertson, Hamish. "Trilepisium madagascariense (Urn-fig)". Biodiversity explorer. Iziko Museums. Retrieved 19 November 2014.
- ^ a b Baguette, F.; Baboorun, T.; Harryba, S.; Senterre, B.; Beech, E. (2018). "Trilepisium gymnandrum". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2018: e.T44005A127865223. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2018-2.RLTS.T44005A127865223.en. Retrieved 12 November 2021.
- ^ Kuiate, Jules-Roger; Kuete, Victor; Teponno, Remy Bertrand; Tapondjou, Leon Azefack; Vilarem, Gerard; Teke, Gerald Ngo (2010). "Antidiarrheal activity of extracts and compound from Trilepisium madagascariense stem bark". Indian Journal of Pharmacology. 42 (3): 157–63. doi:10.4103/0253-7613.66839. PMC 2937317. PMID 20871767.
- ^ Ango, Patrick Y.; Kapche, Deccaux W.F.G.; Kuete, Victor; Ngadjui, Bonaventure T.; Bezabih, Merhatibeb; Abegaz, Berhanu M. (September 2012). "Chemical constituents of Trilepisium madagascariense (Moraceae) and their antimicrobial activity". Phytochemistry Letters. 5 (3): 524–528. Bibcode:2012PChL....5..524A. doi:10.1016/j.phytol.2012.05.006.