Common Name:

General Information

Capparis tomentosa is a deciduous, spiny plant that can vary in habit. Often an erect or scrambling shrub with stems 1 - 3 metres long, it can become a climbing shrub, clambering over other vegetation to a height of 6 metres or perhaps more; less often it becomes a small well branched tree that grows up to 10 metres tall with an upright bole 13 - 15 cm in diameter that is covered with scattered spines[].
The plant is often gathered from the wild for medicinal use, whilst there are conflicting reports of the leaves and fruit being edible[].

Known Hazards

The roots are toxic[, ].
There are conflicting reports about the leaves and fruit, they are considered to be edible in some areas and toxic in others[]. The leaves are browsed by livestock without apparent harm[].

Botanical References

Range

Africa - widespread in drier areas from Senegal to Somalia, south to S. Africa and Angola.

Habitat

Coastal bush, forests, riverbanks, mountain slopes, evergreen forests, hot and dry thornveld, arid sandy plains and on termite mounds at elevations up to 2,500 metres[].

Properties

Edibility Rating
Medicinal Rating
Other Uses Rating
Habit	Deciduous Shrub
Height	3.00 m
Cultivation Status	Wild

Cultivation Details

A plant of the drier tropics, where it is found at elevations up to 2,300 metres. It grows best in areas where annual daytime temperatures are within the range 24 - 34°c, but can tolerate 16 - 40°c[]. It prefers a mean annual rainfall in the range 500 - 1,000mm, but tolerates 300 - 1,250mm[].
Requires a sunny position[]. Prefers a well-drained, medium to light textured soil[]. Prefers a pH in the range 6.5 - 8, tolerating 6 - 8.5[]. Established plants are very drought tolerant[].

Edible Uses

Leaves - considered to be edible in some parts of Africa, whilst in other areas they are considered to be toxic[].

Fruit - raw. Popular with hildren[]. The fruits are considered to be edible in some parts of Africa, whilst in other areas they are considered to be toxic[, ]. The pendulous fruits are from the size of a cherry to that of a golf ball, with a stout stalk, globose, pink to bright orange when ripe[].

It also grows on the tops of anthills, making a solid, tidy crown and occurs in the semi-arid and humid lowland and highland woodlands, forest edges and scrub. May become a weed if not adequately controlled[].

Medicinal

Although there are various reports of toxicity, the plant is used medicinally throughout the areas of Africa in which it grows[]. The alkaloid, l-stachydrine, has been isolated from the pericarp, endocarp and seed-husk of the fruit, and is also in the roots[]. An alkaloid of the pyrrolidine group has been found and a sulphur-oil is present in the root[].

The plant is used to cure madness, snakebite, headache, impotence and sterility (in women)[].

A decoction of leafy-stems is a common treatment for venereal disease discharges[]. A decoction of the leaves is used for the treatment of asthma[].
Applied externally, the pounded leaf is used as an eye-remedy, whilst a powder of the stem and leaf is used as a wound-dressing[].

The roots have diuretic and purgative properties[]. They are used internally for treating urethral discharges and syphilis[]. The powdered root is taken in a little water for treating snake-bite and a root-decoction, combined with Gardenia sp., is used for a poison-antidote[].
Externally, the powdered roots are applied to chancres, and orchites (in serious cases the treatment is combined with internal dosing with other drugs as well)[]. A root macerate, combined with Waltheria americana, is used on the eyelids for treating ophthalmia and a steam-fumigation from an infusion of the pounded root is used for treating conjunctivitis[].
The pounded root-bark is used to maturate abscesses, and as a cough cure[].

A decoction prepared by scraping the bark and mixing it with goat soup is drunk as a remedy for chest pains[].

The fruit, or the root, can be used for diseases calling for clearing of the bowels, e.g. Hernia and sterility[].

The sap (of the root?) is used to treat inflammations of the ear[].

The plant also has applications in southern Africa for treating colds, coughs and bronchial troubles, malaria, jaundice, etc[].

Agroforestry Uses:

The trees are grown as a live fence[].

Other Uses

The seed is moderately rich in oil with a 29·1% content consisting, in a Sudan sample, of oleic acid 29%, linoleic acid 26%, palmitic acid 23% and stearic acid 21%[].

The wood is used for fuel[].

Propagation

Seed -

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