Biology:Scutia myrtina

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Short description: Species of flowering plant

Scutia myrtina
Scutaria myrtina-2.jpg
Scientific classification edit
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Rosids
Order: Rosales
Family: Rhamnaceae
Genus: Scutia
Species:
S. myrtina
Binomial name
Scutia myrtina
(Burm.f.) Kurz

Scutia myrtina is a species of plant in the family Rhamnaceae. It is commonly known as cat-thorn.[2]

Description

Scutia myrtina is a variable plant that may grow as a shrub or tree of 2-10 m tall with trunk diameter to 30 cm or often a scandent liane, climbing by means of thorns. Older bark is dark, corky and longitudinally fissured. Younger growth is hairy and branchlets green and angular.[3] The thorns are sharp, recurved and paired at the nodes, but sometimes absent.[4] The common name, cat-thorn, refers to the thorns that look like a cat's claw.

Leaves are ovate to obovate in shape, often notched at the apex, but always with mucronulate tip, opposite with usually entire margin, sometimes wavy.[4]

The fruit is a berry with black skin and white flesh containing two to three seeds.[4]

Distribution

The plant is found in Asia and Africa.[3]

Conservation

Scutia myrtina has not been assessed for the IUCN Red List (as at 2018-05-07), but is listed as least concern in the Red List of South African Plants.[5]

Uses

Several species in the genus Scutia have been used in traditional medicine, such as the Ayurvedic system from India.[6][7]

References

Wikidata ☰ Q3476551 entry