Melianthus major

Honey Bush ( Melianthus major)

The (Grand ) Honey Bush ( Melianthus major) is a species within the family of honey bush plants ( Melianthaceae ). In their area of ​​distribution, Southern Africa, it is English " Kruidjie - roer -my- never " called "Honey Flower" or Afrikaans. The botanical genus name is derived from Melianthus méli for honey and anthos for flower.

• 3.1 Medical use

• 5.1 Notes and references

Description and ecology

Vegetative characteristics

The honey shrub reaches an evergreen shrub or subshrub the stature heights up to 3 meters. The Stems usually have a circular cross-section, are often hollow and not woody strong. The original main engines verbuscht with time. The main growth period is the rain richer winter. For longer periods of drought or heavy frost the above-ground parts of plants die off, under favorable weather conditions, the plant drives but from the underground part again.

The alternate and spirally arranged leaves are imparipinnate, with 5 to 27 leaflets. The leaflets are 5-10 cm long and 2.5 to 3.5 cm wide, the margins are serrated. The Blattrhachis in the leaflets is sometimes lobed, with serrated edge. The leaves can be up to 50 cm long. About the petiole is a the shoot axis enclosing, tapered, glattrandiges Nebenblatt enveloping the following scion bud. The color of the leaves, but also the fresh twigs and petioles is a bright blue-green, the surface is frosted. The leaves give the touch produces an unpleasant smell (reminiscent of peanuts).

Generative features

The terminal, racemose inflorescence contains many flowers. The hermaphrodite flowers are zygomorphic with a double perianth. The lower of the five fused sepals forms a more or less pronounced spur ( mentum). The four red - purple to rust-red petals are free. There are two short and two long stamens present, the short are fused with a membrane which continues under the insertion at the base of the ovary in a large, brown, leathery honey cap, which is in located in the spur. The "honey" ( highly concentrated nectar ) flows as soon as the anthers open. At the top of the inflorescence sometimes a ring of sterile flowers is formed. The flowers but a big dark drops of nectar from which is edible; all other parts of the plant are poisonous. Pollination is by sunbirds ( Ornithophilie ).

Are formed bubble-like, pale - green fruit capsules that contain shiny black seeds.

Dissemination

The home of honey bush is southern Africa, in particular the Western Cape region, preferred locations along streams and ditches.

For example, in Bolivia, India, and in the Canary Islands of honey bush is an invasive plant.

Use

The secreted by the flower nectar droplets are collected and used as a sweetener. They are available dried, for example, as Teezusatz commercially.

Medical use

Decoctions and envelopes with leaves of honey bush are used in South African traditional medicine for external treatment of rheumatism, bruises and wounds.

Toxicity

All parts of the plant contain cardiac glycosides from Bufadionelid type.

Swell

• Data sheet of PlantZAfrica from South African National Biodiversity Institute. inspected at September 26, 2012
• Melianthus major at Plants For A Future. Accessed on 16 September 2012.