''Culcasia scandens'' is an African climbing plant, often epiphytic, with slender, wiry stems, up to 5 m long clinging to tree trunks by means of clasping roots, and growing on forest and stream margins and in savanna. It is native to countries of western tropical Africa from

Senegal Senegal,; Wolof: ''Senegaal''; Pulaar: 𞤅𞤫𞤲𞤫𞤺𞤢𞥄𞤤𞤭 (Senegaali); Arabic: السنغال ''As-Sinighal'') officially the Republic of Senegal,; Wolof: ''Réewum Senegaal''; Pulaar : 𞤈𞤫𞤲𞤣𞤢𞥄𞤲𞤣𞤭 ...

east and south to

Angola , national_anthem = " Angola Avante"() , image_map = , map_caption = , capital = Luanda , religion = , religion_year = 2020 , religion_ref = , coordina ...

. Stems are verrucose or warty and somewhat rubbery. The 1-3 inflorescences are terminal, and peduncles 2.5–6 cm; the spathe is green, mucronate, 2–3.5 cm; the spadix is pale yellow to orange, constricted near the base, often exserted, stipe of about 4 mm; ovary is unilocular and uni-ovulate; fruiting spadix terminating in the male portion; berries red, roughly spherical, 10-12 x 8 mm. The sap, leaves and bark, and infusions, decoctions and pulp prepared from these, are used to treat a variety of ailments and conditions - as analgesic for earache, toothache,

tonsillitis Tonsillitis is inflammation of the tonsils in the upper part of the throat. It can be acute or chronic. Acute tonsillitis typically has a rapid onset. Symptoms may include sore throat, fever, enlargement of the tonsils, trouble swallowing, and en ...

and stomach complaints. It is also used as an anti-emetic, for various skin conditions, taken during pregnancy as an anti-abortifacient, and for venereal diseases. The sap is a skin-irritant, rich in alkaloids and leading to its use as a fish poison and as veterinary medicine for goat ailments. Some African tribes mix maize seeds with powdered ''Culcasia'' roots and seeds and claim that better crops result, probably due to ''Culcasia's'' insecticidal and repellent properties. Leaves are fragrant and a source of

coumarin Coumarin () or 2''H''-chromen-2-one is an aromatic organic chemical compound with formula . Its molecule can be described as a benzene molecule with two adjacent hydrogen atoms replaced by a lactone-like chain , forming a second six-membered h ...

, a perfume ingredient. Extracts from this plant showed no antimicrobial activity against ''

Escherichia coli ''Escherichia coli'' (),Wells, J. C. (2000) Longman Pronunciation Dictionary. Harlow ngland Pearson Education Ltd. also known as ''E. coli'' (), is a Gram-negative, facultative anaerobic, rod-shaped, coliform bacterium of the genus '' Esc ...

'', ''

Bacillus subtilis ''Bacillus subtilis'', known also as the hay bacillus or grass bacillus, is a Gram-positive, catalase-positive bacterium, found in soil and the gastrointestinal tract of ruminants, humans and marine sponges. As a member of the genus ''Bacillus ...

'', ''

Pseudomonas aeruginosa ''Pseudomonas aeruginosa'' is a common encapsulated, gram-negative, aerobic–facultatively anaerobic, rod-shaped bacterium that can cause disease in plants and animals, including humans. A species of considerable medical importance, ''P. aerug ...

'', ''

Candida albicans ''Candida albicans'' is an opportunistic pathogenic yeast that is a common member of the human gut flora. It can also survive outside the human body. It is detected in the gastrointestinal tract and mouth in 40–60% of healthy adults. It is usu ...

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Trichophyton mentagrophytes ''Trichophyton mentagrophytes'' is a species in the fungal genus '' Trichophyton''. It is one of three common fungi which cause ringworm in companion animals. It is also the second-most commonly isolated fungus causing tinea infections in huma ...

'' and ''

Cladosporium ''Cladosporium'' is a genus of fungi including some of the most common indoor and outdoor molds. Species produce olive-green to brown or black colonies, and have dark-pigmented conidia that are formed in simple or branching chains. Many species ...

'' ''resinae''. Analysis of the extracts revealed homologous very-long-chain 1,3-alkanediols, homologous series of C31, C33 and C35 alkanols, protoquercitol, methyl -D-fructopyranoside, palmitic acid, stearic acid, linoleic acid, linolenic acid and their methyl esters.

Gallery

Culcasia scandens01a.jpg, Culcasia scandens00.jpg,

References

External links

Image of fruitImage of flower
{{Taxonbar, from=Q3007091 Aroideae Flora of West Tropical Africa Flora of West-Central Tropical Africa Flora of Sudan Flora of Angola