Terminalia spinosa (PROTA)

Plant Resources of Tropical Africa Introduction

List of species

General importance
Geographic coverage Africa
Geographic coverage World
Medicinal
Timber
Forage / feed

Terminalia spinosa Engl.

File:Map Terminalia spinosa.gif

distribution in Africa (wild)

Protologue: Pflanzenw. Ost-Afrikas C: 294 (1895).

Family: Combretaceae

Vernacular names

• Spiny terminalia (En).
• Mwanga, mwangati, mwarambe (Sw).

Origin and geographic distribution

Terminalia spinosa occurs from south-eastern Sudan eastward to southern Somalia and southward to eastern Tanzania.

Uses

In Kenya bark infusions are taken to treat jaundice, and in Tanzania leaf sap to treat malaria. Bark and root extracts are used for the treatment of HIV/AIDS patients in Tanzania.

The wood is used for poles in construction, furniture, boat building, utensils, carvings, as firewood and for charcoal production. Terminalia spinosa is planted in live fences. It serves as fodder tree in the dry season, and is also considered a magical tree.

Properties

In tests bark extracts were demonstrated to have strong in-vitro antibacterial activity against a wide array of bacteria including Helicobacter pylori, and also antifungal activity against Candida sp. They also had activity against Plasmodium falciparum strains. They showed less activity against brine shrimp larvae compared to cyclophosphamide, a standard anticancer drug.

The dark brown heartwood is heavy and strong with a density of about 1100 kg/m³ and modulus of rupture of 115 N/mm². The wood dries well with little degrade, and saws and works quite easily. It is durable, being resistant to fungal, termite and even marine borer attacks.

Description

Deciduous or more or less evergreen, small to medium-sized tree up to 20 m tall; bole more or less straight; bark surface fissured, grey; crown layered with horizontal branches; twigs zigzag, with (1–)2(–3) spines at base of spur shoots, short hairy, greyish to reddish brown. Leaves arranged spirally, clustered on spur shoots, simple and entire; stipules absent; petiole up to 0.5 cm long; blade broadly obovate, 2–4 cm × 1.5–3 cm, cuneate at base, rounded to notched at apex, glabrous to short-hairy, pinnately veined with 3–5 pairs of lateral veins. Inflorescence an axillary spike up to 6 cm long, short-hairy. Flowers bisexual or male, regular, 5-merous, c. 5 mm in diameter, white to yellowish or pinkish, scented; calyx with glabrous tube and 5 lobes; corolla absent; stamens 10, exserted; ovary inferior, 1-celled. Fruit an oblong to ellipsoid winged nut 2–3 cm × 1–2 cm including the wing, glabrous, reddish, indehiscent, 1-seeded.

Other botanical information

Terminalia is a pantropical genus of about 200 species. In tropical mainland Africa about 30 species occur naturally, in Madagascar about 35. Several other Terminalia species are used in traditional medicine in East Africa.

Terminalia basilei

Terminalia basilei Chiov. is a small tree up to 10(–15) m tall restricted to south-eastern Ethiopia and Somalia. The bark sap mixed in water is dropped into the eye and ear to treat conjunctivitis and ear inflammation, respectively.

Terminalia brevipes

Terminalia brevipes Pamp. is a shrub or small tree up to 10 m tall distributed in Ethiopia, southern Somalia, eastern Kenya and northern Tanzania, often on alluvial soils which are regularly flooded. Bark decoctions are taken to treat jaundice and malaria, root decoctions against threatened abortion, and leaf decoctions to treat hepatitis. The wood is used for poles and carpentry. The foliage is browsed by livestock.

Terminalia orbicularis

Terminalia orbicularis Engl. & Diels is a shrub or small tree up to 8 m tall occurring in similar habitats as Terminalia spinosa in southern Ethiopia, Somalia and eastern Kenya. Bark decoctions of Terminalia orbicularis are used to treat cholera and irregular menstruation. The yellowish to pale brown wood is used for joinery and furniture; it is fairly heavy, with a density of about 750 kg/m³ at 12% moisture content, fairly strong and moderately hard and durable. It is also used as firewood and for charcoal production. The foliage is occasionally browsed by livestock in times when little else is available.

Growth and development

Near the coast in Kenya, flowering of Terminalia spinosa trees is in April–June, often together with the development of new foliage. Ripe fruits develop about 6 months after flowering.

Ecology

Terminalia spinosa occurs in dry, bushy grassland and bushland up to 1800 m altitude, often together with Acacia and Commiphora spp., less often with Brachystegia spp. It is most commonly found on sandy soils and rocky sites.

Propagation and planting

The tree produces numerous fruits. The germination rate is usually quite high, up to 66%, but germination may take considerable time. There are 8000–20,000 fruits per kg. The fruits can be stored for longer periods when they are kept cool, dry and free of insects. It is recommended to remove the wing and soak the fruit in cold water before sowing; V-shaped nipping at the end of the fruit without damaging the seed and soaking in sulfuric acid for 60 minutes also promote germination, up to 81% and 77%, respectively. Terminalia spinosa can also be propagated by stem cuttings, but in tests there was considerable clonal variation in rooting ability of the cuttings. It is recommended to leave 7.5–15 cm² of leaf surface on the cuttings; 80% rooting can then be achieved after 3 weeks. Wildlings are occasionally collected for planting.

Management

The tree can be pruned, lopped and pollarded, and accepts regular trimming as a hedge.

Genetic resources

Terminalia spinosa is fairly widespread and locally common or even dominant, and does not seem to be threatened by genetic erosion except in some coastal regions where its popularity for poles has diminished populations. The Kenya Forestry Seed Centre collects and distributes seed of Terminalia spinosa.

Prospects

Terminalia spinosa has interesting uses in African traditional medicine, but has hardly been subject to pharmacological research. Monitoring of populations is recommended in regions where harvesting pressure is high for medicinal purposes but also for timber and firewood. Terminalia spinosa can be propagated more easily than other Terminalia species, which offers opportunities for large-scale planting.

Major references

• Chikamai, B.N., Githiomi, J.K., Gachathi, F.N. & Njenga, M.G., undated. Commercial timber resources of Kenya. Kenya Forestry Research Institute (KEFRI), Nairobi, Kenya. 164 pp.
• Fabry, W., Okemo, P., Mwatha-Wanjiru, E., Chhabra, S.C. & Ansorg, R., 1996. Susceptibility of Helicobacter pylori and Candida sp. to the East African plant Terminalia spinosa. Arzneimittel Forschung 46(5): 539–540.
• Maundu, P. & Tengnäs, B. (Editors), 2005. Useful trees and shrubs for Kenya. World Agroforestry Centre - East and Central Africa Regional Programme (ICRAF-ECA), Technical Handbook 35, Nairobi, Kenya. 484 pp.
• Mbuya, L.P., Msanga, H.P., Ruffo, C.K., Birnie, A. & Tengnäs, B., 1994. Useful trees and shrubs for Tanzania: identification, propagation and management for agricultural and pastoral communities. Technical Handbook 6. Regional Soil Conservation Unit/SIDA, Nairobi, Kenya. 542 pp.
• Mbwambo, Z.H., Erasto, P., Nondo, R.O.S., Innocent, E. & Kidukuli, A.W., 2011. Antibacterial and cytotoxic activities of Terminalia stenostachya and Terminalia spinosa. Tanzania Journal of health Research 13(2): 103–105.

Other references

• Beentje, H.J., 1994. Kenya trees, shrubs and lianas. National Museums of Kenya, Nairobi, Kenya. 722 pp.
• Fabry, W., Okemo, P.O. & Ansorg, R., 1996. Activity of East African medicinal plants against Helicobacter pylori. Chemotherapy 42(5): 315–317.
• Fabry, W., Okemo, P.O. & Ansorg, R., 1996. Fungistatic and fungicidal activity of east African medicinal plants. Mycoses 39(1-2): 67–70.
• Fabry, W., Okemo, P.O. & Ansorg, R., 1998. Antibacterial activity of East African medicinal plants. Journal of Ethnopharmacology 60(1): 79–84.
• Newton, A.C., Muthoka, P.N. & Dick, J.M., 1992. The influence of leaf area on the rooting physiology of leafy stem cuttings of Terminalia spinosa Engl. Trees: Structure and Function 6(4): 210–215.
• Omulokoli, E., Khan, B. & Chhabra, S.C., 1997. Antiplasmodial activity of four Kenyan medicinal plants. Journal of Ethnopharmacology 56: 133–137.
• Specht, C.E. & Schaefer, C., 1990. Interim recommendations for the presowing treatments of Terminalia brownii and Terminalia spinosa. Technical Note, Kenya Forestry Research Institute No 9. 17 pp.
• Thulin, M., 1993. Combretaceae. In: Thulin, M. (Editor). Flora of Somalia. Volume 1. Pteridophyta; Gymnospermae; Angiospermae (Annonaceae-Fabaceae). Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, Richmond, United Kingdom. pp. 247–254.
• Vollesen, K., 1995. Combretaceae. In: Edwards, S., Mesfin Tadesse & Hedberg, I. (Editors). Flora of Ethiopia and Eritrea. Volume 2, part 2. Canellaceae to Euphorbiaceae. The National Herbarium, Addis Ababa University, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia and Department of Systematic Botany, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden. pp. 115–132.
• Wickens, G.E., 1973. Combretaceae. In: Polhill, R.M. (Editor). Flora of Tropical East Africa. Crown Agents for Oversea Governments and Administrations, London, United Kingdom. 99 pp.

Author(s)

• H.S. Foyet, Department of Agriculture, Livestock and By-products, The Higher institute of the Sahel, University of Maroua, P.O. Box 46, Maroua, Cameroon
• P. Nana, School of Wood, Water and Natural Resources, Faculty of Agriculture and Agricultural Sciences, University of Dschang, Ebolowa Campus, P.O. Box 786, Ebolowa, Cameroon

Correct citation of this article

Foyet, H.S. & Nana, P., 2013. Terminalia spinosa Engl. In: Schmelzer, G.H. & Gurib-Fakim, A. (Editors). Prota 11(2): Medicinal plants/Plantes médicinales 2. PROTA, Wageningen, Netherlands. Accessed 16 September 2026.

• See this page on the Prota4U database.