African tulip tree (Spathodea campanulata) is a species of plant in Bignoniaceae, a medium to large tree, growing up to 35 m high, trunk diameter up to 175 cm, flowers are reddish orange or dark red or yellow and are widely planted as ornamental and shade trees in all over the tropics.
S. campanulata has a sturdy trunk and occasionally supported, thick branches mottled with small white lenticels. The leaves are opposite, very wide and up to 50 cm long. Leaf blade elliptical or ovate, 15x7.5 cm with 7-8 main veins on each side, pubescent, protruding below, apex slightly sharp, base slightly asymmetrical and stalk up to 6 cm.
The flower has a short stalk, 2-3 mm thick, the ribs are almost straight and pubescent brown. Raceme is 8-10 cm long on stalks of the same length and a pair of small leaves about halfway, rachis and stalk thick, pubescent brown, bracts subtending pedicels lanceolate, curved, about 1 cm long, caducous and a pair of bractlets near the pedicel-like apex.
The petals are strongly curved upward, asymmetrical, about 5 cm long, pointed, slightly striped, dividing when blooming up to several mm from the base along the curve of the dorsal, apex, horn-like, blunt, sericeous brownish pubic exterior.
Crown is reddish orange or dark red or yellow, 10-12 cm long, leg mouth about 7 cm, lobe about 3 cm long, blunt, very sharp edge and orange-yellow. The filaments are about 5 cm long, anthers are dull orange, linear, 15 mm long, yellow in color, 8 cm long and reddish pistils. The fruit is lanceolate and 17-25 x 3.5-7 cm.
This plant naturally grows in forests, riverbanks and shrubs, up to an altitude of 2,000 meters and a pH of 5-7.5. This tree tolerates high winds and shade, but requires full sun for growth. Temperature 27-30C during the day.
Chemical constituents are alkaloids, flavonoids, saponins, steroids, terpenoids, tannins, glycosides, sterols, cerebrosides, iridoids, ketones, phenols, carboxylic acids, benzyl benzoate, geranyl acetone, β-caryophyllene, farnesyl acetone, aromadendrene, tricosane.
This plant is used to treat malaria, HIV, diabetes mellitus, edema, dysentery, constipation, indigestion, boils, skin diseases, wounds, fever, urethral inflammation, antidote, reduces rashes in babies, anti-inflammatory, analgesic, antibacterial, antioxidant, antifungal.
TAXON
Kingdom: Plantae
Phylum: Tracheophyta
Subphylum: Angiospermae
Class: Magnoliopsida
Order: Lamiales
Family: Bignoniaceae
Tribe: Tecomeae
Genus: Spathodea P.Beauv. in Fl. Oware 1: 46 (1805)
Species: Spathodea campanulata P.Beauv. in Fl. Oware 1: 47 (1805)
Subspecies: Spathodea campanulata subsp. campanulata, Spathodea campanulata subsp. congolana Bidgood, Spathodea campanulata subsp. nilotica (Seem.) Bidgood
PUBLICATIONS
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Gosline, G., Bidault, E., van der Burgt, X., Cahen, D., Challen, G., Condé, N., Couch, C., Couvreur, T.L.P., Dagallier, L.M.J., Darbyshire, I., Dawson, S., Doré, T.S., Goyder, D., Grall, A., Haba, P., Haba, P., Harris, D., Hind, D.J.N., Jongkind, & al. (2023). A Taxonomically-verified and Vouchered Checklist of the Vascular Plants of the Republic of Guinea. Nature, scientific data 10, Article number: 327: [1]-[12].
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Lejoy, J., Ndjele, M.-B. & Geerinck, D. (2010). Catalogue-flore des plantes vasculaires des districts de Kisangani et de la Tshopo (RD Congo). Taxonomania. Revue de Taxonomie et de Nomenclature Botaniques 30: 1-307.
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VERNACULAR NAME
Afrikaans: Afrikaanse Vlamboom
Bengali: রুদ্রপলাশ Rudrapalash
Chinese (simplified): 火焰木 - 火焰树
Chinese (traditional): 火焰樹 - 苞萼木 - 火焰木
Czech: Spatodea zvonkovitá
Danish: Afrikansk tulipantræ
English: African tulip tree, Flame of the forest, African tulip tree, African Flame Tree, Nandi Flame
Finnish: Tulppaanitrumpetti
French: Tulipier du Gabon
German: Afrikanischer Tulpenbaum
Guangdong: 火焰樹 - 苞萼木 - 火焰木
Hebrew: מתחלית פעמונית
Hindi: रगटूरा Rugtoora
Hong Kong: 火焰樹 - 苞萼木 - 火焰木
Hungarian: Afrikai tulipánfa
Indonesian: Kecrutan, Kiacret
Japanese: カエンボク
Java: Crut-crutan
Kannada: Jeerkolavi kaayi, Neeru kaayi, Ucche kaayi
Kenya: Nandi Flame
Macao: 火焰樹 - 苞萼木 - 火焰木
Malaysia: Pancut-pancut
New Zealand: African tulip tree English
Polish: Spatodea dzwonkowata
Portuguese: Tulipeira-africana
Russian: Спатодея колокольчатая
Slovak: Tulipánovník zvončekovitý
Spanish: Tulipán africano, Galeana, Llama del bosque, Amapola, Mampolo
Sunda: Kiengsrot, Ki acret
Swedish: Afrikansk tulpanträd
Taiwan: 火焰木 - 火焰樹 - 苞萼木
Tamil: படடி Patadi
Thai: แคแสด
Tseltal: Tulipán
Aryo Bandoro
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