Baphia nitida
Baphia nitida | |
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Scientific classification | |
Kingdom: | Plantae |
Clade: | Tracheophytes |
Clade: | Angiosperms |
Clade: | Eudicots |
Clade: | Rosids |
Order: | Fabales |
Family: | Fabaceae |
Subfamily: | Faboideae |
Genus: | Baphia |
Species: | B. nitida |
Binomial name | |
Baphia nitida Lodd. | |
The distribution of Baphia nitida. | |
Synonyms[1] | |
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Baphia nitida, also known as camwood, barwood, and African sandalwood (although not a true sandalwood), is a shrubby, leguminous, hard-wooded tree from central west Africa. It is a small understorey, evergreen tree, often planted in villages, and known as osun in Yoruba.
The wood is of a very fine colour, and is used in woodturning for making knife handles and similar articles. The tree's bark and heartwood are commonly used to make a brilliant but non-permanent red dye, which is soluble in alkali.
Pterocarpin is a pterocarpan found in B. nitida.[2]
Osun (camwood) extract is also used in some soaps and skin treatments, primarily among the Yoruba people of West Africa. The extract of the Camwood can be formed into a soft soap like material that is thought to promote healthy skin.
References
[edit]- ^ Soladoye MO (1985). "A revision of Baphia (Leguminosae-Papilionoideae)". Kew Bulletin. 40 (2): 291–386. Bibcode:1985KewBu..40..291S. doi:10.2307/4108263. JSTOR 4108263.
- ^ "Pterocarpin at knapsack_jsp". Archived from the original on 2014-02-22. Retrieved 2013-02-05.
External links
[edit]- VIRBOGA - Baphia nitida
- Dressler, S.; Schmidt, M. & Zizka, G. (2014). "Baphia nitida". African plants – a Photo Guide. Frankfurt/Main: Forschungsinstitut Senckenberg.
- The American Cyclopædia. 1879. .