Psychotria crassipetala

Scientific Name: Psychotria crassipetala

Common Name: Keniankahvikki (finnish) Kenyan coffee Tree(english)

Family: Rubiaceae

General Information

Psychotria petitii is a species of plant in the family Rubiaceae. It is endemic to Taita Hills in Kenya and threatened by habitat loss. Psychotria is a genus of flowering plants in the family Rubiaceae. It contains 1,582 species and is therefore one of the largest genera of flowering plants. The genus has a pantropical distribution and members of the genus are small understorey trees in tropical forests. Some species are endangered or facing extinction due to deforestation, especially species of central Africa and the Pacific.Of these coffee species — much of which comes from the forests of arabica’s genetic birthplace, Ethiopia, other parts of Africa and Madagascar — some 60 percent are now classified according to IUCN Red List standards as under threat of extinction due to deforestation, climate change and the spread and severity of fungal pathogens and pests.

Features of Psychotria Crassipetala that make it identifiable:

Bark: greenish or gray, and coarse

Leaf: Leaves opposite, petiolate, frequently drying reddish-brown in colour

Flower : Flowers mostly small, sessile or pedicellate, 4–5-merous, hermaphrodite, heterostylous, in terminal or axillary (in some American species.

Fruit: Red capsules.

Uses

According to the concepts of traditional Chinese medicine, schefflera has bitter, sweet and warm properties, and is associated with the Liver meridian. Its main functions are to promote the circulation of the blood and to alleviate pain. sore and/or swollen throat. It can also help to relieve asthma.

Extra Info

Each tree species plays a unique role in its ecosystem, and the loss of a single tree species can have a domino effect of extinctions, threatening habitats of animals and plants and the overall resilience of ecosystems. It is therfore crucial to help in the reforesting of trees like these.