Common Name:

General Information

Bulbine capitata is a perennial plant producing rosettes of grass-like leaves from a short, woody, rhizome. The plant can be 20 - 45cm tall, gradually spreading to form small clumps[].
The plant is harvested from the wild for local medicinal use. It is occasionally sold in local markets.

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

Range

Southern Africa - Namibia, Botswana, Swaziland, S. Africa.

Habitat

Occurring in small clumps scattered in open grassland and thorn scrub on sandy soil, and on rocky hillsides at elevations of 975 - 1,050 metres in Botswana[].

Properties

Medicinal Rating
Habit	Perennial
Height	0.30 m
Pollinators	Bees
Cultivation Status	Wild

Cultivation Details

Not known

Edible Uses

None known

Medicinal

A root decoction is used as a mild purgative and to cure gonorrhoea[].
A root decoction is applied to the skin to cure rashes and sexually transmitted diseases[].

The plant is said to have antibiotic and antipyretic properties, but these remain unsubstantiated[].

The roots and leaves contain anthraquinones[].
Several isofuranonaphthoquinones from the roots have shown antioxidant activity in a human lipoprotein oxidation assay, some of them with activity comparable to that of quercetin, a flavonoid with established antioxidant activity. These compounds also demonstrated weak antiplasmodial activities in vitro[].

Other Uses

None known

Propagation

Seed -

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Captcha: if i have 3 bananas, and i eat them all, how many bananas did i just eat?