Ugandan 'Sex Tree' Endangered
From BBC News
By Joshua Mmali
The omuboro grows mainly in protected forest reserves
The soaring demand for a tree which some Ugandans believe can boost a man's libido and virility, may lead to its extinction, researchers warn.
The most popular part of the slow growing citropsis articulata tree, locally known as omuboro, is its roots.
Ugandan lecturer Maude Mugisha says this means the whole tree is uprooted to satisfy the consumer's needs.
Found mainly in forest reserves, the tree's aphrodisiac qualities are yet to be scientifically proven.
Dosage
The experts' concern was revealed during a symposium in the Ugandan capital, Kampala, on conserving and improving the use of endemic plant species.
Some of them are open and tell you that they have used it and it's very good
Makerere University employee
A by-product of the tree was actually on sale outside the conference venue.
The vendor said he had been growing the tree himself, and extracts a powder which is steeped in hot water and drank as a beverage.
YourTango’s Take
Finally. Another indigenous ‘Viagra’. The omuboro root is joining it’s cousins the rhino horn, Peruvian frog juice, Chilean herbs, Malaysian herbs and the Korean hagfish. And some of these natural Viagras are being caught, fished or farmed to extinction. It would be great if there were some way to create an artificial Viagra. This way people could just pop a pill and get an erection. Well, in the meantime we’ll just have to use strange spices and get plenty of exercise and pray that those unfeeling bastards at big pharma discover some kind of remedy for this embarrassing, debilitating affliction.
Discussion
This plant is not in danger of out-right extinction. It is a species of citrus found across most of Africa, and it has also been grown in other countries.
What is endangered is the genetic diversity of the Ugandan population of this plant. That is something to be concerned about, but can be addressed.
While the BBC article described the plant as slow growing, this was in the wild in forest preserves. When cultivated in full sun, with weed control and good soil fertility, citrus grows much faster.
