Common Name:

General Information

Duosperma crenatum is a perennial plant with erect stems up to 120cm tall that arise from a woody rootstock. These stems become more or less woody, the plant forming a tangle of branches and sometimes forming thickets[].
The plant is sometimes harvested from the wild for local use as a food and medicine.

Known Hazards

The plant is toxic to humans when the leaves are mature and turn yellow[].

Botanical References

Range

Eastern and southern Africa - Ethiopia, Kenya, Tanzania, Namibia, Zambia, Malawi, Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Botswana, South Africa.

Habitat

A common thicket-forming species in Acacia-Commiphora bushland at elevations from 600 - 1,700 metres[]. The plant seems hardly ever to be eaten by cattle, and is therefore favoured by slight to moderate overgrazing[].

Properties

Edibility Rating
Medicinal Rating
Habit	Perennial
Height	1.00 m
Cultivation Status	Wild

Cultivation Details

Not known

Edible Uses

Leaves - cooked and used as a vegetable[]. Young green leaves are collected, chopped and cooked alone or mixed with other vegetables such as peas or amaranth; coconut milk or pounded groundnuts are often added. The vegetable is then served with a staple such as rice[]. Only young, green leaves should be eaten - see notes above on toxicity[].

Medicinal

Green leaves are picked, soaked in water and the liquid drunk by pregnant women. This is believed to result in an easy and safe delivery[].

Other Uses

None known

Propagation

Seed -

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