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Tabernaemontana elegans
Also called Lowveld Toadtree, Warty Toadtree, Toadtree
Low Veld Toadtree (Tabernaemontana elegans) is a shrub or small tree in the dogbane family, native to dry forest and bushland from Somalia to South Africa. It is grown mainly as a garden or landscape tree in warm climates and needs frost protection.
Tabernaemontana elegans, the toad tree, is a shrub or small tree in the family Apocynaceae. It is native to eastern Africa.
Fourteen indole alkaloids have been isolated in the callus culture of Tabernaemontana elegans (isovoacangine, 3-R/S-hydroxy-isovoacangine, 3-R/S-hydroxy-coronaridine, isositsirikine, geissoschizol, tabernaemontanine, vobasine, vobasinol, apparicine, 16-hydroxy-16,22-dihydro-apparicine, tubotaiwine, 3-R/S-hydroxy-conodurine and monogagaine) of which apparicine is the principal.
Tabernaemontana elegans grows in forests or bushland from sea level to 1,000 metres (3,300 ft) altitude. The species is native to Somalia, Kenya, Tanzania, Mozambique, Zimbabwe, Eswatini and South Africa.
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 (glue).
Tabernaemontana coffeoides · Tabernaemontana corymbosa · Adam's Apple Flower · Pinwheelflower · Giant Pinwheel Flower · Tabernaemontana undulata · Forest Toad Tree · Milkwood
Text excerpted from the Wikipedia article Tabernaemontana elegans by its contributors, under CC BY-SA 4.0; the excerpts and the care summary drawn from them are shared under the same licence.
The care summary was written by AI (Claude, Anthropic) from the sources on this page, with general growing knowledge where they are silent. Check before relying on it.
Life form, climate and native range: World Checklist of Vascular Plants, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew (CC BY 3.0), reformatted; see Plants of the World Online.
