Prota 11(1): Medicinal plants/Plantes médicinales 1 Record display

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Centroplacus glaucinus Pierre

Protologue Bull. Mens. Soc. Linn. Paris, ser. 2, 1: 115 (1899). Family Pandaceae Synonyms Microdesmis paniculata Pax (1899). Origin and geographic distribution Centroplacus glaucinus occurs in Cameroon, Equatorial Guinea and Gabon. Uses In Gabon a leaf decoction is taken to treat schizophrenia. Botany Dioecious small to medium-sized tree up to 20 m tall; bark surface dark brown, inner bark red; twigs slender, terete, glabrous. Leaves alternate, simple; stipules triangular, tiny; petiole up to 4 mm long, blackish when dry; blade oblong to elliptical-oblong, 7.5–17.5 cm × 2.5–6.5 cm, base obtuse, apex acuminate, distantly and shallowly toothed, glabrous, shiny above, pinnately veined with 10–14 pairs of lateral veins. Inflorescence an axillary panicle up to 7.5 cm long, on young shoots, short-hairy; bracts spoon-shaped, c. 1 mm long. Flowers unisexual, 5-merous; pedicel c. 1 mm long; sepals ovate, c. 1 mm long, obtuse, yellowish short-hairy; male flowers with petals broadly obovate or obovate-elliptical, c. 3 mm long, white, short-hairy, disk cup-shaped, stamens with short filaments; female flowers without petals, disk saucer-shaped, fleshy, 5-lobed, ovary superior, ovoid, c. 1 mm in diameter, 3-celled, densely short-hairy, styles 3, short. Fruit an oblong-ellipsoid, slightly 3-lobed capsule c. 7 mm in diameter, densely short-hairy, green turning pinkish orange, 3-seeded. Seeds ellipsoid, c. 3 mm long, usually smooth, black, shiny, aril orange-red. Centroplacus consists of one species only. It has formerly been placed in Flacourtiaceae and Euphorbiaceae, but is now considered to belong to Pandaceae, although recent molecular studies indicate that it may be better placed in a separate family Centroplacaceae. Ecology Centroplacus glaucinus occurs as an understorey tree in primary and secondary forest, usually at low altitudes. Genetic resources and breeding There are no signs that Centroplacus glaucinus is threatened by genetic erosion. Prospects Centroplacus glaucinus will remain of local importance only as a medicinal plant. Major references • Akendengué, B. & Louis, A.M., 1994. Medicinal plants used by the Masango people in Gabon. Journal of Ethnopharmacology 41: 193–200. • Govaerts, R., Frodin, D.G. & Radcliffe-Smith, A., 2000. World checklist and bibliography of Euphorbiaceae (with Pandaceae). Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, Richmond, United Kingdom. 1620 pp. Other references • Brown, N.E., Hutchinson, J. & Prain, D., 1909–1913. Euphorbiaceae. In: Thiselton-Dyer, W.T. (Editor). Flora of tropical Africa. Volume 6(1). Lovell Reeve & Co., London, United Kingdom. pp. 441–1020. Author(s) • G.H. Schmelzer PROTA Network Office Europe, Wageningen University, P.O. Box 341, 6700 AH Wageningen, Netherlands Editors • G.H. Schmelzer PROTA Network Office Europe, Wageningen University, P.O. Box 341, 6700 AH Wageningen, Netherlands • A. Gurib-Fakim Faculty of Science, University of Mauritius, Réduit, Mauritius Associate editors • C.H. Bosch PROTA Network Office Europe, Wageningen University, P.O. Box 341, 6700 AH Wageningen, Netherlands • M.S.J. Simmonds Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, Richmond, Surrey TW9 3AB, United Kingdom • R. Arroo Leicester School of Pharmacy, Natural Products Research, De Montfort University, The Gateway, Leicester LE1 9BH, United Kingdom • A. de Ruijter PROTA Network Office Europe, Wageningen University, P.O. Box 341, 6700 AH Wageningen, Netherlands General editors • R.H.M.J. Lemmens PROTA Network Office Europe, Wageningen University, P.O. Box 341, 6700 AH Wageningen, Netherlands • L.P.A. Oyen PROTA Network Office Europe, Wageningen University, P.O. Box 341, 6700 AH Wageningen, Netherlands Correct citation of this article: Schmelzer, G.H., 2008. Centroplacus glaucinus Pierre. In: Schmelzer, G.H. & Gurib-Fakim, A. (Editors). Prota 11(1): Medicinal plants/Plantes médicinales 1. [CD-Rom]. PROTA, Wageningen, Netherlands.

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