Common Name:

General Information

Caylussea abyssinica is an erect annual to short-lived perennial plant, occasionally shrubby, growing up to 150cm tall[]. It has a slightly woody taproot[].
The leaves are a popular vegetable in parts of Africa[]. The plant is harvested from the wild for local use as a food and medicine. It is sometimes sold in local markets[]. Not usually cultivated, but the plant is sometimes retained around homesteads[].

Known Hazards

The seeds are said to be poisonous to grazing animals[]. They give a bitter flavour to foods if they become mixed with cereal crops[].

Botanical References

Range

East tropical Africa - Sudan, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Uganda, Kenya, Rwanda, Burundi, Tanzania and Malawi.

Habitat

A weed of secondary grassland, abandoned cultivation, disturbed or waste places and riversides, at elevations from 1,200 - 3,000 metres[].

Properties

Weed Potential	Yes
Edibility Rating
Medicinal Rating
Habit	Annual/Perennial
Height	1.00 m
Cultivation Status	Semi-cultivated, Wild

Cultivation Details

The plant is considered to be a non-aggressive weed, and is found growing in open grassland, fields, roadsides and rocky areas[].

Edible Uses

Young leaves - cooked[]. The tender young leaves and stems are collected, chopped, washed, mixed with other
vegetables then cooked; pounded seeds of pumpkin, sunflower or Cannabis sativa or groundnut paste are added and then the whole is eaten with or without a staple such as ugali[, ].

Medicinal

The boiled leaves are used to treat stomach pains and to eliminate intestinal worms[, ].

The ash of the whole burnt plant, or a root decoction, is taken as a remedy for abdominal pain[].

Other Uses

None known

Propagation

Seed -

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