Corkwood

Musanga cecropioides

Physical Characteristics

Musanga cecropioides is an evergreen Tree growing to 20 m (65ft) by 5 m (16ft) at a fast rate. See above for USDA hardiness. It is hardy to UK zone 10. The flowers are pollinated by Birds. The plant is not self-fertile. It is noted for attracting wildlife. Suitable for: light (sandy), medium (loamy) and heavy (clay) soils and prefers well-drained soil. Suitable pH: mildly acid and neutral soils and can grow in very acid soils. It cannot grow in the shade. It prefers moist soil.

Distribution

Tropical Africa - Guinea to DR Congo and Uganda.

Habitats

Edible Uses

Edible Parts: Fruit Inner bark Sap Edible Uses: Drink Salt The aerial stilt-roots, and also the younger branches, are noted for their capacity of yielding a large amount of potable sap. ‘Half a bucketful’ is said to be obtainable from a single tree overnight[332 ]. The sap is colourless, odourless and of an insipid sweetish taste[332 ]. This source of drinking water is of great importance in some areas of the tree's range, where whole villages can depend upon it in dry seasons. Hunters and others break off stems to draw an impromptu drink, and even monkeys have learnt to do this. A renewed flow can be obtained by re-cutting the cut surface and beating the severed limb[332 ]. Fruit[332 ]. A succulent flesh with embedded small seeds[332 ]. Although edible, the fruit does not seem to be much relished by local people[332 ]. The yellowish-green fruit is 10 - 13 cm long by 5 - 6 cm wide[332 ]. Bark-scrapings are added to fermenting sugar-cane sap to increase the potency[332 ]. Wood-ash from freshly felled trees provides a vegetable salt for use in cooking[332 ].

Medicinal Uses

Analgesic Antirheumatic Antitussive Appetizer Blood purifier Diuretic Emmenagogue Epilepsy Expectorant Febrifuge Galactogogue Leprosy Odontalgic Skin Tonic The bark is intricately layered: light grey outer layer, then green, white, pink, white, all becoming brown on exposure. The outer part exudes a red-brown juice[332 ]. This exudate is mixed with maize pap and then eaten in the belief that it is a galactagogue. Women who have been taking it over a period of several days experience an increased milk flow, and even those who have no child to breastfeed can experience a flow of milk[332 ]. The sap of this plant has been investigated and found to contain the female hormone oestrogen and a galactagogue that can stimulate milk flow[332 ]. The use of this plant to treat dysmenorrhoea may perhaps be explained by the presence of these hormones[332 ]. The plant is said to have some analgesic properties and is used in the treatment of asthenia and loss of appetite[332 ]. Fumigation of the bark and leaves, mixed with the leaves of Adenia lobata, acts as an expectorant and dehydrator, it is given to infants in order to relieve asthenia[332 ]. A decoction of the bark-macerate is used as a treatment for pulmonary troubles[332 ]. This decoction is also used as a gargle for treating toothache[332 ]. A strip of the heated bark is placed over the lumbar region to relieve lumbago[332 ]. The root bark, combined with kola nuts (Cola spp.) is chewed as a cure for coughs[332 ]. Bark obtained from calluses on the tree is tied onto wounds where it is supposed to effect a rapid healing - although this seems a case of sympathetic treatment, perhaps it has some justification[332 ]. The sap from the stilt roots is considered to be medicinal for women[332 ]. Sap from the larger roots is drunk as a galactagogue; blood-purifier; to clean the stomach; and for treating blennorrhoea, cough and chest affections[332 ]., The sap is applied as a wash for persons with sleeping sickness; leprosy; fevers; and to relieve aches and pains, asthenia, rheumatism etc[332 ]. The root-sap is used in a topical embrocation for treating pulmonary congestion[332 ]. Ash from the powdered roots, mixed with palm oil into a paste, is applied as a healing dressing to circumcision wounds[332 ]. The leaf and inflorescence buds are enclosed in a red stipular sheath which may be 20 cm long. This attracts attention, in part, at least, on the Theory of Signatures, for the treatment of gynaecological conditions. To hasten childbirth, the whole sheath is boiled in soup is used as a powerful emmenagogue[332 ]. The leaves are a popular medicine, especially to treat a range of feminine complaints. They are used in a prescription to prepare a vaginal douche for painful menstruation; whilst the pulped buds are given to women with leucorrhoea and other vaginal affections[332 ]. The buds are crushed and boiled in water which, after filtering, is taken by draught and by enema to treat abdominal troubles. They are combined with the bark of Uapaca guineensis; pepper (either a red chilli or other pungent seed); salt and newly deposited soil from the top of a termite mound, then boiled up - the liquid after filtering is taken by mouth to treat swollen stomach and swellings in other parts of the body. The action is presumed to be diuretic[332 ]. The terminal bud is crushed whole and taken, often with the sap added, to calm attacks of epilepsy and insanity, to treat blennorrhoea and heart-pains[332 ]. Sap expressed from the bud is used as an eardrop for treating earache and is applied topically for localized swellings[332 ]. Hairs from the inside of the stipule are considered good for healing burns and sores[332 ]. The catkins are cooked with groundnuts (Arachis hypogaea) and are taken to facilitate childbirth[332 ].

Known Hazards

None known