(a) IDENTIFICATION
Local
name: Igbo: Udara
Common
name: White star apple
Botanical
name: Chrysophyllum abbidum
Family:
Sapotaceae
Habitat:
Found in lowland rainforest.
(b) MORPHOLOGY
Habit:
This is a large tree which is about 30-6m high and greater than 4m in diameter.
It has a straight bole, deeply, fluted as a small buttresses at the base, the
bark is grayish pale, it is a times associated with the lichens of various
types leaves are alternate and simple with stipule in which the edges are
active. They are between the range of 30-31cm in width.
Flowers are in clusters
and in auxiliary position, each with short pedicel the sepals are short coned
with small yellow hairs calyx are in two whorls, while the stamens are 4-8 or
whereas many as the corolla fruits are edible. They are hard and glabrous and
brown in colour and copious at maturity.
(c)
UTILIZATION
The
stem bark is used for treating stomach pains and corm infestation. It is drunk
with Allium cepa for deworning in
tender children. The dried leaves of Carica
papaya and this plant is used are remedy for treating abortion in female.
(d) CONSERVATION
The plant specie is grown and protected mainly on the
village square or at strategic sites of the village for its fruits and the shade
they provide. They are equally being sustained through agroforestry technique
in the farming are, and naturally they grow freely in the forest areas.
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