Common Name:

General Information

Chrozophora brocchiana is a low-growing woody under-shrub with stout, more or less erect stems usually up to 60cm tall, but occasionally to 150cm[, ]. The plant has a stout and very long taproot[].
The plant is sometimes harvested from the wild for local use, mainly as a medicine but also for the oil obtained from its seed.

Known Hazards

In Senegal the plant is recorded as causing vomiting and diarrhoea in stock and is thus not grazed, except occasionally by sheep and goats; though in Niger it is sought after by goats and is taken at certain times of the year by cattle[].

Botanical References

,

Range

Africa - Cape Verde, Morocco to Senegal, east to Egypt, Sudan and Ethiopia.

Habitat

Sandy soils in the Sahel and on savannah[].

Properties

Edibility Rating
Medicinal Rating
Habit	Shrub
Height	0.50 m
Cultivation Status	Wild

Cultivation Details

A plant of arid and semi-arid areas in the tropics and subtropics of northern Africa.

Edible Uses

A sweet, non-drying oil is pressed from the seeds[]. Linoleic acid is the major component of the oil, followed by palmitic, oleic and stearic acids[].

Medicinal

The plant ashes are applied to human and camels' sores[]. Analysis of the chemical content shows no particular reason for a beneficial action as a wound-dressing; however, there is an unusually high silica content of 72.2%[].

A decoction of the aerial parts is taken to strengthen lactating mothers and their children, and to treat fever and dysentery[]. The powdered dried leaves, mixed in water, are taken to treat diarrhoea[].
The crushed leaves are rubbed on to affected sites in order to treat stitch in the side[].

The root sap is mixed in water and used as ear drops to treat otitis[].

Other Uses

None known

Propagation

Seed -

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