Common Name:

General Information

Maerua pseudopetalosa is a perennial woody herb or subshrub with ascending branches, growing 30 - 60 cm tall, from a woody thickened root[].
The plant is gathered from the wild and used to precipitate solids in water to make it potable[]. The plant is also occasionally used medicinally and as an emergency food in times of need[].

Known Hazards

Tetramethylammonium iodide, known as tetramine for short, is reported present in the tuberous root, shoot and leaf. This substance has proved fatal to humans within a quarter hour[].
Di-, tri- and tetra-methylamine hydroxide have also been found[].

Botanical References

Range

Tropical Africa - semi-arid areas from Senegal to Ethiopia, south to Kenya.

Habitat

Deciduous bushland and grassland with scattered trees, often on termite-mounds; at elevations of 700 - 1,350 metres[].

Properties

Edibility Rating
Medicinal Rating
Other Uses Rating
Habit	Perennial
Height	0.50 m
Cultivation Status	Wild

Cultivation Details

A plant of medium elevations in the drier tropics.

Edible Uses

The plant is eaten, but only as a famine-food and after careful preparation to remove a toxic principle[]. See notes above on toxicity.

The fruit is eaten in Sudan 'to make one strong'[, ].

The root, when chewed, has a bitter taste at first but this is followed by a sweetness[]. The root is sometimes used to make sweet drinks, a practice that surely needs viewing with caution[].

The ashes of the stems and leaves are used as a salt substitute[].

Medicinal

Any internal use of this plant should be viewed with caution, see notes above on toxicity.

The fruits and roots are used in a topical application to the chest for treating coughs[].

The bark is used medicinally by Masai medicine men[].

Other Uses

The vegetative parts of the plant contain 14·5% fats[]. The seed-husk and seed-kernel are also oil-bearing[].

The root is said to be an efficient precipitant of suspensions in water and is used in water purification and storage in rural areas[]. The related plants, M. subcordata and M. glauca are said to be used in E Africa for clearing water muddied by cattle[]. The roots are chopped up and thrown into the water[]. The chemicals in them carry a heavy charge of ions[].

Propagation

Seed -

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