Rhaphiostylis beninensis (Rhaphiostylis beninensis)
Description
Rhaphiostylis beninensis is a woody, sprawling or scrambling glabrous, evergreen shrub or liane native to Tropical Africa, belonging to the family Metteniusaceae, and one of 3 species in the genus Rhaphiostylis. It is traditionally used as an anti-inflammatory by the Bantu people of Africa. Occasionally forming thickets, it is found in or on the margins of rain-forest, where, as a climber, it reaches 10-15m in height, and rarely as a free-standing tree 5-8m. Its bark is smooth and dark grey, while young branches are reddish-brown to purple. Leaves are alternate and elliptic-lanceolate in shape with acuminate apex. Flowers in axillary clusters, white and fragrant. Fruit flattened and sub-reniform, persistent lateral style, reticulate or wrinkled, bright red turning black when ripe. This species occurs in Liberia, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Senegal, Gambia, Congo and Angola.
Taxonomic tree
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Domain: Eukarya
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Kingdom: Plantae
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Phylum:
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Class: Magnoliopsida
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Order: Icacinales
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Family: Icacinaceae
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Genus: Rhaphiostylis
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