Laguncularia recemosa (L.) Gaertner f. (Family Combretaceae): gross morphology, phytochemistry, ecology and distribution in the Niger Delta

The morphology, phytochemistry, ecology and distribution of Laguncularia racemosa (L.) Gaertner f., (basionym: Conocarpus racemosa L.), in the Niger Delta area was investigated in this study. The data showed that Laguncularia racemosa is a small tree or shrub 30 cm in diameter and about 6 m in height, growing on peaty chikoko soil. The bark of this plant is smooth, greyish brown in colour whereas the inner bark is light brown. Phyllotaxy is opposite. Leaves are ever-green, leathery-textured, petiolate rounded at their bases with pairs of lateral nerves; subsidiary cells surrounding the stomata on the abaxial surfaces are anomocytic whereas those on the adaxial are cyclocytic. The leaf stalk is provided with a pair of glands at the top. Leaves and stems contain flavonoids: apigenin, kaempferol, tricin, iso-orientin and quercetin. Inflorescence is a panicle. The plant fruits all the year round; fruits are greenish yellow, leathery velvety, ribbed longitudinally, crowned by persistent calyx teeth and contains an elongated seed. The plant is well endowed with pneumatophores.