Common Name:

General Information

Phyllanthus ovalifolius is a much-branched, often dense, scrambling or spreading, weak-stemmed shrub or a tree, sometimes with a climbing habit. It usually grows 2 - 5 metres tall, occasionally to 10 metres. The branches are long and slender; either horizontal, arching or pendent[].
The plant is harvested from the wild for local use as a medicine and source of materials for basketry.

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

Range

Tropical Africa - Nigeria, Cameroon, DR Congo, Sudan, Ethiopia, Uganda, Kenya, Rwanda, Burundi, Tanzania, Angola, Zambia, Malawi, Mozambique, Zimbabwe

Habitat

High rainfall deciduous woodlands; chipya woodland and thickets; evergreen rainforest; forest margins and gully forest; riverine forest and mushitu; sometimes on well-wooded rocky outcrops and termitaria; at elevations from 780 - 1,950 metres[].

Properties

Medicinal Rating
Other Uses Rating
Habit	Shrub
Height	3.50 m
Cultivation Status	Wild

Cultivation Details

Plants can be monoecious or dioecious. Dioecious forms will need both male and female plants if seed is required[].

Edible Uses

None known

Medicinal

A plant decoction is drunk and used as a vapour bath to treat corneal ulcers[].

A root decoction is drunk to treat cough[].

A root and bark infusion is used to bathe sore eyes[].

A leaf decoction is taken in the treatment of measles; the leaves, mixed with butter, are applied to the skin for the same purpose[].

Other Uses

The flexible stems are used in making fish traps, baskets etc[].

Propagation

Seed -

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