{{Short description|Species of tree}} {{Speciesbox |image = Bénin-Hymenocardia acida (1).jpg |genus = Hymenocardia |species = acida |authority = Tul. }}

'''''Hymenocardia acida''''' is a plant of the family Phyllanthaceae native to tropical Africa. It is a small tree that grows to 10&nbsp;m tall.<ref>{{Cite web|title=African flowering plants database: ''Hymenocardia acida'' Tul.|publisher=Conservatoire et Jardin botaniques de la Ville de Genève|url=http://www.ville-ge.ch/musinfo/bd/cjb/africa/details.php?langue=an&id=174148|accessdate=26 July 2021}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Hymenocardia acida - Species Information|publisher=The International Centre for Research in Agroforestry (ICRAF)|url=http://www.worldagroforestry.org/treedb2/speciesprofile.php?Spid=17965|accessdate=26 July 2021}}</ref> Occurs in the Guinea and Sudanian savannah zones and deciduous woodland, from Senegal eastwards to Ethiopia and southwards reaching Zimbabwe.<ref name=":0">{{Cite book|title=Medicinal plants|date=2008|publisher=PROTA Foundation|others=G. H. Schmelzer, Ameenah Gurib-Fakim, PROTA Foundation, Technical Centre for Agricultural and Rural Cooperation|isbn=978-90-5782-204-9|location=Wageningen|pages=341|oclc=297222192}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=Hymenocardia acida Tul. {{!}} Plants of the World Online {{!}} Kew Science|url=http://powo.science.kew.org/taxon/urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:350085-1|access-date=2021-11-08|website=Plants of the World Online|language=en}}</ref>

== Description == A dioecious and deciduous species,<ref name=":0" /> the trunk is often short up to 30 cm in diameter, while the bark is commonly smooth, pale brown to grey in color, flakes off to reveal a powdery reddish to orange inner bark. The leaves are alternate, simple in arrangement with stipules that are up to 3 mm long; leaf-blade is elliptic to oblong in outline up to 9.5 cm long and 5 cm wide, and a coriaceous surface with golden to orange scales beneath.<ref name=":0" /> Male flowers are reddish to yellow in color, and appears in axillary clusters of spikes up to 9 cm long. Female flower are green and in a terminal raceme. <ref name=":0" />

== Chemistry == The Cyclopeptide alkaloid, hymenocardine has been isolated from the stem bark extract of the tree.<ref name=":1">{{Cite journal|last1=Tuenter|first1=Emmy|last2=Exarchou|first2=Vassiliki|last3=Baldé|first3=Aliou|last4=Cos|first4=Paul|last5=Maes|first5=Louis|last6=Apers|first6=Sandra|last7=Pieters|first7=Luc|date=2016-07-22|title=Cyclopeptide Alkaloids from Hymenocardia acida|url=https://pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/acs.jnatprod.6b00131|journal=Journal of Natural Products|language=en|volume=79|issue=7|pages=1746–1751|doi=10.1021/acs.jnatprod.6b00131|pmid=27351950 |issn=0163-3864|hdl=10067/1350300151162165141|hdl-access=free|url-access=subscription}}</ref> Leaf extracts identified the presence of the chemical compound lupeol.<ref name=":1" />

== Uses == In traditional medical practice, some communities use leaf and root extracts as part of a regimen to treat malaria, inflammatory related ailments and pain, and various extracts of the plant is used to aid the healing process from skin ailments.<ref name=":1" />

==References== {{Reflist}}

==External links== *{{AfricanPlants|Hymenocardia acida}}

{{Taxonbar|from=Q5956467}}

Category:Phyllanthaceae Category:Trees of Africa Category:Taxa named by Edmond Tulasne

{{Phyllanthaceae-stub}}