Tabernaemontana elegans


Tabernaemontana elegans, the toad tree, is a shrub or small tree in the family Apocynaceae. It is native to eastern Africa.

Description

Tabernaemontana elegans grows up to tall, with a trunk diameter of up to. Its fragrant flowers feature white, creamy or pale yellow corolla lobes. Fruit consists of 2 separate ovoid or ellipsoid pods, up to each.

Distribution and habitat

Tabernaemontana elegans grows in forests or bushland from sea level to altitude. The species is native to Somalia, Kenya, Tanzania, Mozambique, Zimbabwe, Eswatini and South Africa.

Uses

Tabernaemontana elegans has some local medicinal uses including the treatment of heart disease, cancer, tuberculosis and venereal diseases. The species is also used as an aphrodisiac. The Zulu name for this genus, iNomfi, refers to the use of their sticky, milky latex as bird-lime.

Chemistry

Fourteen indole alkaloids have been isolated in the callus culture of Tabernaemontana elegans of which apparicine is the principal.