African cherry orange

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African cherry orange
Plant Info
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Division: Magnoliophyta
Class: Magnoliopsida
Sublass: Rosidae
Order: Sapindales
Family: Rutaceae
Genus: Citropsis
Species: C. schweinfurthii

Binomial name
Citropsis schweinfurthii

The African cherry orange Citropsis schweinfurthii (Engl.), also known as the West African cherry orange Citropsis articulata (Willd.)[1] or Uganda cherry orange (locally as omuboro) is a small citrus fruit about the size of a tangerine. The plant is endemic to Central and Western Africa, and used primarily for eating and in African traditional herbal medicine [2].

In Uganda, an infusion made of the grounded root of the omuboro, drunk once a day for three days is considered to be a powerful aphrodisiac for men only. Science has not investigated the veracity of this belief. Conservationists in Uganda are concerned that demand for the plant threatens the survival of this species' genetic diversity in that country. [1]

External Links

BBC Article on Omuboro
Omuboro page at Aphrodisiology
Article on overharvesting

References

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