''Combretum molle'', the velvet bushwillow, is a medium to large tree species in the genus ''

Combretum ''Combretum'', the bushwillows or combretums, make up the type genus of the family Combretaceae. The genus comprises about 272 species of trees and shrubs, most of which are native to tropical and southern Africa, about 5 to Madagascar, but th ...

'' found in western, eastern and southern Africa. The larvae of '' Parosmodes morantii'' and '' Acalyptris molleivora'' feed on ''C. molle''. It is recorded to contain antioxidants such as

punicalagin Punicalagin is an ellagitannin, a type of phenolic compound. It is found as alpha and beta isomers in pomegranates (''Punica granatum''), ''Terminalia catappa'', ''Terminalia myriocarpa'', and in ''Combretum molle'', the velvet bushwillow, a plant ...

, which is also found in the other Myrtale

pomegranate The pomegranate (''Punica granatum'') is a fruit-bearing deciduous shrub in the family Lythraceae, subfamily Punicoideae, that grows between tall. The pomegranate was originally described throughout the Mediterranean Basin, Mediterranean re ...

s (''Punica granatum''), a somewhat related plant. It also contains the 1alpha-hydroxycycloartenoid saponins mollic acid glucoside and mollic acid 3β-D- xyloside. Extracts from the bark of ''C. molle'' show

antibacterial An antibiotic is a type of antimicrobial substance active against bacteria. It is the most important type of antibacterial agent for fighting bacterial infections, and antibiotic medications are widely used in the treatment and prevention ...

and antifungal as well as ''in vitro''

antiprotozoal Antiprotozoal agents ( ATC code: ATC P01) is a class of pharmaceuticals used in treatment of protozoan infection. A paraphyletic group, protozoans have little in common with each other. For example, ''Entamoeba histolytica'', a unikont eukaryot ...

activities. Mollic acid glucoside shows cardiovascular effects. Combretum molle, nuwe loof, b, Faerie Glen NR.jpg, Combretum molle, loof en bloeisels, Jan Celliers Park, naby.jpg, Combretum molle00.jpg,

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molle MOLLE (pronounced ,, homophonic with the name Molly) is an acronym for Modular Lightweight Load-carrying Equipment. It is used to define the current generation of load-bearing equipment and backpacks used by a number of NATO armed forces, esp ...

Trees of Africa Flora of East Tropical Africa Flora of Northeast Tropical Africa Flora of South Tropical Africa Flora of Southern Africa Flora of West Tropical Africa Flora of West-Central Tropical Africa Plants described in 1827 Taxa named by Robert Brown (botanist, born 1773) {{Myrtales-stub

See also

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