Violet Tree

Securidaca longepedunculata, the violet tree, is a small to medium tree of 6 to 12 metres, found in tropical and subtropical Africa from Senegal to Ethiopia and south to northern South Africa. Wikipedia gives the names krinkhout in Afrikaans, satene in Bambara, mmaba in Tswana, mpesu in Venda and ipeta in Yoruba. Its flowers go from pink to purple. The article says a combination of a methanol extract and methyl salicylate from the roots makes a poison used on arrows in West Africa. It says people in Zimbabwe use the roots to treat people who seem to be possessed by evil spirits, and often on snake bites, and that the VhaVenda of Limpopo use the roots to prevent mental disorders. The article says the species suffers from over-harvesting for local medicines.