Description
Gaertnera inflexa (also called African rue, among many other common names) is a shrub or small tree that grows up to 3 meters tall. It is native to tropical Africa and is found in lowland rainforests, gallery forests, and secondary forests.
Uses & Benefits
Gaertnera inflexa has been used as an ornamental plant, as a source of timber, and as a medicinal plant to treat fever, headache, and eye diseases.
Flower, Seeds and Seedlings
Gaertnera inflexa has small, white flowers with five petals and yellow stamens. The seeds are small, round and black. The seedlings are small, with oval-shaped, dark green leaves.
Cultivation and Propagation
Gaertnera inflexa is a species of flowering plant in the Rubiaceae family. It is native to tropical Africa and Madagascar. It is a shrub or small tree, growing to a height of up to 4 m (13 ft). The leaves are opposite, ovate to elliptic, 4–10 cm long and 2–5 cm broad, with a pointed tip. The flowers are white, with a corolla tube up to 1 cm long. The fruit is a drupe, 1–2 cm diameter, yellow when ripe.