Securidaca longepedunculata Seeds
Violet Tree
Securidaca longipedunculata is a semi-deciduous shrub or small tree that grows to 12 m tall, with an often flattened or slightly fluted bole. It is spiny and much branched, with an open, rather straggly looking crown. Young leaves are eaten as a vegetable or in sauces. Suitable for honey production as bees often frequent the flowers. In Eritrea, for example, the tree is one of the most valuable lowland honey sources, and planting to increase honey production is recommended. S. longipedunculata can be burnt for firewood and charcoal. Fine quality fibre is obtained from inner bark of the straight, annual shoots, which when retted could possibly be useful for flax-like textiles. Much appreciated locally in western, central and southern Africa because of its long, durable and tough fibres. Used for making string and rope for fishing net and lines, bird and animal snares, for thread to sew bark cloth and as bead string for necklaces. Wood is pale, soft, spongy, very light, and brittle, and is regarded to have little value. Used for poles, hut construction, bows and brooms. It is resistant to termites and decay. The flowers yield an oil with many possible uses; oil expressed from the seeds is used cosmetically or as a furniture stain. The trees, especially the roots, are a toxicity risk if taken in excess. A saponin found in the roots can cause severe damage to bone marrow and haemolysis when in contact with blood. The solid portion of the root is said to be the most lethal. The root bark also contains 0.42% methyl salicylate. Severe poisoning can result from ingestion of 10-30 ml of methyl salicylate. In Zambia the crushed and powdered roots are used as an intravaginal or intrarectal poison, and in Gambia as a fish poison. Bark, roots and seeds are used in arrow poison, and root can be used as a snake repellent. Roots at 350 ppm are 100% effective as a molluscicide. Used in both western and southern Africa to treat widely differing ailments. Roots, in small doses (drastic and dangerous in larger doses), are purgative, diuretic, diaphoretic and emetic. They are used for eye complaints such as conjunctivitis, malaria, venereal diseases, urethral discharges, stomach problems, dysentery, rheumatism, fibrositis, toothache, headache, sleeping sickness, cough, chest complaints, snakebite, and wound dressing, and as an aphrodisiac, taenifuge, vermifuge and expectorant. An infusion of the roots is use mouthwash in cases of toothache and is applied to cuts on the legs to treat inflammatory conditions. Powder from the burned roots is rubbed into small incisions made on the temple and forehead to relieve headaches. Seeds are used for headache, fever and rheumatism; leaves for snakebite, venereal diseases and coughs; bark for stomach problems and as an arrow poison antidote. Due to the presence of saponins, bark, root bark and crushed seeds give a soapy solution in water and are used as soap for washing or bleaching clothes.
