Taxon:  Prunus africana (Hook. f.) Kalkman



Summary
Genus:
Prunus
Subgenus:
Cerasus
Section:
Laurocerasus
Family:
Rosaceae
Subfamily:
Amygdaloideae
Tribe:
Amygdaleae
Nomen number:
29828
Place of publication:
Blumea 13:33.  1965
Verified:
03/03/2011 ARS Systematic Botanists.
Accessions:
3 (0  active, 0  available) in National Plant Germplasm System.  (Map it)
Other conspecific taxa
Autonyms (not in current use), synonyms and invalid designations
Basionym
Pygeum africanum Hook. f.

No images


Reference(s)
  1. Aldén, B., S. Ryman, & M. Hjertson. 2012. Svensk Kulturväxtdatabas, SKUD (Swedish Cultivated and Utility Plants Database; online resource)
  2. APHIS. Agricultural Risk Management System United States Department of Agriculture.
  3. Bond, P. & P. Goldblatt. 1984. Plants of the Cape Flora, J. S. African Bot. suppl. vol. 13.
  4. Carrisso, L. W. et al., eds. 1937-. Conspectus florae angolensis.
  5. CITES. Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) Appendices I, II and III (on-line resource).
  6. Dawson, I. K. & W. Powell. 1999. Genetic variation in the Afromontane tree Prunus africana, an endangered medicinal species. Molec. Ecol. 8:151-156.
  7. Duke, J. A. et al. 2002. CRC Handbook of medicinal herbs
  8. Exell, A. W. et al., eds. 1960-. Flora zambesiaca.
  9. Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO). 2010. Ecocrop (on-line resource).
  10. Hitimana, J. et al. 2010. Disturbance indicators and population decline of logged species in Mt. Elgon Forest, Kenya. African J. Ecol. 48:699-708.
  11. McGuffin, M., J. T. Kartesz, A. Y. Leung, & A. O. Tucker. 2000. Herbs of commerce, ed. 2 American Herbal Products Association, Silver Spring, Maryland.
  12. Okole, B. N. & B. Odhav. 2004. Commercialisation of plants in Africa. S. African J. Bot. 70:110.
  13. Palmer, E. & N. Pitman. 1972-1973. Trees of southern Africa.
  14. Personal Care Products Council. International Nomenclature Cosmetic Ingredient
  15. Porcher, M. H. et al. Searchable World Wide Web Multilingual Multiscript Plant Name Database (MMPND) (on-line resource).
  16. Stewart, K. M. 2003. The African cherry (Prunus africana): Can lessons be learned from an over-exploited medicinal tree? J. Ethnopharmacol. 89:3-13.
Common names
LanguageNameAlternate namenoteseqCitation
EnglishAfrican cherry  1Stewart, K. M. 2003. The African cherry (Prunus africana): Can lessons be learned from an over-exploited medicinal tree? J. Ethnopharmacol. 89:3-13.
Englishpygeum  1McGuffin, M., J. T. Kartesz, A. Y. Leung, & A. O. Tucker. 2000. Herbs of commerce, ed. 2 American Herbal Products Association, Silver Spring, Maryland.
Swedishafrikansk lagerhägg  2Aldén, B., S. Ryman, & M. Hjertson. 2012. Svensk Kulturväxtdatabas, SKUD (Swedish Cultivated and Utility Plants Database; online resource)
Distribution
order_codeStatusContinentSubcontinentCountryStateNoteReference
1NativeAfricaEast Tropical AfricaKenya  Kalkman, C. 1965. The Old World species of Prunus subg. Laurocerasus including those formerly referred to Pygeum. Blumea 13:33.
1NativeAfricaEast Tropical AfricaTanzania  Dawson, I. K. & W. Powell. 1999. Genetic variation in the Afromontane tree Prunus africana, an endangered medicinal species. Molec. Ecol. 8:151-156.
1NativeAfricaEast Tropical AfricaUganda  Dawson, I. K. & W. Powell. 1999. Genetic variation in the Afromontane tree Prunus africana, an endangered medicinal species. Molec. Ecol. 8:151-156.
1NativeAfricaNortheast Tropical AfricaEthiopia  Cufodontis, G. 1953-1972. Enumeratio plantarum aethiopiae: Spermatophyta.
1NativeAfricaNortheast Tropical AfricaSudan s.?Dawson, I. K. & W. Powell. 1999. Genetic variation in the Afromontane tree Prunus africana, an endangered medicinal species. Molec. Ecol. 8:151-156.
1NativeAfricaSouth Tropical AfricaAngola  Carrisso, L. W. et al., eds. 1937-. Conspectus florae angolensis.
1NativeAfricaSouth Tropical AfricaMalawi  Exell, A. W. et al., eds. 1960-. Flora zambesiaca.
1NativeAfricaSouth Tropical AfricaMozambique  Exell, A. W. et al., eds. 1960-. Flora zambesiaca.
1NativeAfricaSouth Tropical AfricaZambia  Exell, A. W. et al., eds. 1960-. Flora zambesiaca.
1NativeAfricaSouth Tropical AfricaZimbabwe  Exell, A. W. et al., eds. 1960-. Flora zambesiaca.
1NativeAfricaSouthern AfricaEswatini  Palmer, E. & N. Pitman. 1972-1973. Trees of southern Africa.
1NativeAfricaSouthern AfricaLesotho  Palmer, E. & N. Pitman. 1972-1973. Trees of southern Africa.
1NativeAfricaSouthern AfricaSouth Africa  Palmer, E. & N. Pitman. 1972-1973. Trees of southern Africa.
1NativeAfricaWest Tropical AfricaCôte D'Ivoire  Kalkman, C. 1965. The Old World species of Prunus subg. Laurocerasus including those formerly referred to Pygeum. Blumea 13:33.
1NativeAfricaWest Tropical AfricaGhana  Keay, R. W. J. & F. N. Hepper. 1953-1972. Flora of west tropical Africa, ed. 2.
1NativeAfricaWest-Central Tropical AfricaCameroon  Kalkman, C. 1965. The Old World species of Prunus subg. Laurocerasus including those formerly referred to Pygeum. Blumea 13:33.
1NativeAfricaWest-Central Tropical AfricaDemocratic Republic of the Congo  Dawson, I. K. & W. Powell. 1999. Genetic variation in the Afromontane tree Prunus africana, an endangered medicinal species. Molec. Ecol. 8:151-156.
1NativeAfricaWest-Central Tropical AfricaEquatorial Guinea  Kalkman, C. 1965. The Old World species of Prunus subg. Laurocerasus including those formerly referred to Pygeum. Blumea 13:33.
1NativeAfricaWest-Central Tropical AfricaSao Tome and Principe  Kalkman, C. 1965. The Old World species of Prunus subg. Laurocerasus including those formerly referred to Pygeum. Blumea 13:33.
1NativeAfricaWestern Indian OceanComoros  Kalkman, C. 1965. The Old World species of Prunus subg. Laurocerasus including those formerly referred to Pygeum. Blumea 13:33.
1NativeAfricaWestern Indian OceanComorosGrande Comore Dawson, I. K. & W. Powell. 1999. Genetic variation in the Afromontane tree Prunus africana, an endangered medicinal species. Molec. Ecol. 8:151-156.
1NativeAfricaWestern Indian OceanMadagascar  Dawson, I. K. & W. Powell. 1999. Genetic variation in the Afromontane tree Prunus africana, an endangered medicinal species. Molec. Ecol. 8:151-156.
Native
Africa
  • NORTHEAST TROPICAL AFRICA: Ethiopia, Sudan (s.?)
  • EAST TROPICAL AFRICA: Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda
  • WEST-CENTRAL TROPICAL AFRICA: Cameroon, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Sao Tome and Principe
  • WEST TROPICAL AFRICA: Côte D'Ivoire, Ghana
  • SOUTH TROPICAL AFRICA: Angola, Mozambique, Malawi, Zambia, Zimbabwe
  • SOUTHERN AFRICA: Lesotho, Eswatini, South Africa
  • WESTERN INDIAN OCEAN: Comoros [Grande Comore], Madagascar

Reference(s)
  1. Carrisso, L. W. et al., eds. 1937-. Conspectus florae angolensis.
  2. Cufodontis, G. 1953-1972. Enumeratio plantarum aethiopiae: Spermatophyta.
  3. Dawson, I. K. & W. Powell. 1999. Genetic variation in the Afromontane tree Prunus africana, an endangered medicinal species. Molec. Ecol. 8:151-156.
  4. Exell, A. W. et al., eds. 1960-. Flora zambesiaca.
  5. Kalkman, C. 1965. The Old World species of Prunus subg. Laurocerasus including those formerly referred to Pygeum. Blumea 13:33.
  6. Keay, R. W. J. & F. N. Hepper. 1953-1972. Flora of west tropical Africa, ed. 2.
  7. Palmer, E. & N. Pitman. 1972-1973. Trees of southern Africa.
Economic Uses
UsageTypeNoteReference
Medicinesfolklore Duke, J. A. et al. 2002. CRC Handbook of medicinal herbs
Medicinesfolklore McGuffin, M., J. T. Kartesz, A. Y. Leung, & A. O. Tucker. 2000. Herbs of commerce, ed. 2 American Herbal Products Association, Silver Spring, Maryland.
Cite as: USDA, Agricultural Research Service, National Plant Germplasm System. 2026. Germplasm Resources Information Network (GRIN Taxonomy). National Germplasm Resources Laboratory, Beltsville, Maryland.
URL: https://npgstest.ars-grin.gov/gringlobal/taxon/taxonomydetail?id=29828. Accessed 12 May 2026.