Edible Parts: Flowers  Leaves  Shoots
Edible Uses:

Young leaves and young shoots - cooked and added to soups. The young shoot-tips are sometimes eaten raw[332 ]. The chopped and boiled leaves are mixed with beans, pigeon peas or cowpeas[299 ]. The leaves of plants grown at Dakar have been analysed as containing: carbohydrates 46%, protein 18%, ash 14%, oil 6% by weight. Calcium was present at 2.06%, potassium 1.74%, with magnesium, sodium, phosphorous and numerous minor elements, the principal one being iron, and amino-acids[332 ]. Flowers - cooked and added to soups[332 ]. In a survey on the preference for 14 wild herbaceous vegetables that was held in Burkina Faso in 1999, this species ranked 3rd; its taste was considered good, and its tolerance of drought, insects and poor soil conditions as very good[299 ].

Plants For A Future can not take any responsibility for any adverse effects from the use of plants. Always seek advice from a professional before using a plant medicinally.
Antidiarrhoeal  Antihaemorrhoidal  Antiinflammatory  Diuretic  Laxative  Leprosy  Ophthalmic  Stomachic


The plant contains a milky sap and this has lead, by allusion, to it being used in the treatment of a wide range of ailments symptomized by discharges, or a lack of them[332 ]. The plant is very strongly diuretic and generally strongly stimulates the flow of urine[332 ]. In it also often used with a range of other plants to treat various conditions, including treating suckling babies who have green diarrhoea; for all vein troubles such as varicose veins, bleeding and painful haemorrhoids; poisonings; anuria; syphilis; leprosy; trypanosomiasis, etc. In short, it is used as a general panacea[332 ]. Combined with the root of Smilax spp., it is used to treat for tertiary syphilis[332 ]. The latex contains the triterpene lupeol and derivatives of it, which possess anti-inflammatory activity[299 ]. The sap, or the whole leaf-petiole rolled up into a spill, is put in the nose as a treatment for head-colds and head pains. The latex is put on wounds[332 ]. The sap, or the root in decoction, is used for treating ophthalmia[332 ]. A root macerate is taken to treat anuria or constipation[332 ].The powdered roots in water are taken as a stomachic[332 ]. A macerate or decoction of the whole plant is used to treat urethral discharge, abdominal complaints[332 ]. A macerate or decoction of the leaves is used to remedy a lack of breast-milk, impotence, gonorrhoea and stomach-ache in children[332 ].

Fibre  Tinder

Other Uses A fibre, without recorded use, can be obtained from the stem[332 ]. The dried fruits are used as a tinder[332 ].

Special Uses