ABSTRACT
Pygeum, as represented in the herb market, is the bark of an African tree of the family Rosaceae, Prunus africana (Hook, f) Kalkman, whose common name derives from the now obsolete botanical designation Pygeum africanum Hook. f. The tree is present in highland mountain forests in Africa and Madagascar, occurring in Afromontane forest "islands" from 4,500 to 6,000 feet. Surrounding forests have been clear-cut for forest products and agricultural land, limiting the tree's habitat. The bark harvest, primarily taken from the wild in Cameroon, Kenya, Tanzania, Madagascar, as well as the Democratic Republic of Congo (the former Zaire), has had a devastating effect on wild populations of the species.1,2 This overexploitation sparked conservation concerns, resulting in the species being listed in Appendix II of CITES (Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora) in order to monitor species in international trade.3
