Common Name:

General Information

Combretum aculeatum is a climbing or rambling shrub producing stems 4 metres or more long. The leaf petioles are 1 - 10mm long, persisting after the rest of the leaf has fallen and forming recurved spines that are up to 30 mm long. The plants hairy branches, together with these curved thorns, allow it to hook on to surrounding trees and shrubs[].
The plant is harvested from the wild for local use as a medicine, source of fuel and material for basketry.

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

Range

Tropical Africa - Mauritania to N Nigeria and across Africa to Somalia, northern Kenya, Tanganyika and Uganda.

Habitat

Widespread in dry areas, bushland, woodland, savannah, and wooded grassland. Often found along rivers, riverine forest and ground water forests, as well as on rocky slopes. It grows in bushland on fixed dunes, on sandy alluvium or in rocky places[].

Properties

Edibility Rating
Medicinal Rating
Other Uses Rating
Habit	Shrub
Height	4.00 m
Cultivation Status	Wild

Cultivation Details

A plant of drier areas in the tropics, where it is found at elevations up to 1,800 metres[]. It grows best in areas where annual daytime temperatures are within the range 20 - 30°c, though it can tolerate 15 - 45°c[]. It prefers a mean annual rainfall of 300 - 700mm, but tolerates 250 - 800mm[].
Prefers a sunny position[]. The plant succeeds on a wide range of soils, including alluvial, sandy, stony and clay[]. The plant is reported to withstand flooding; however in the seasonally flooded areas of Sudan, it is restricted to termite mounds, which are generally above the flood level[]. Prefers a pH in the range 6 - 7, tolerating 5.5 - 7.5[].
Plants respond well to coppicing[].

Edible Uses

Seeds[]. They are eaten in some areas[, ].

Medicinal

The leaves are diuretic, laxative and purgative[, ]. The water in which leaves have been boiled is drunk to promote micturition in cases of venereal disease obstruction of the urethra[]. It is used as a purge to treat colitis, blennorrhoea, helminthiasis, leprosy, loss of appetite and wasting[].

The roots are used in the treatment of gonorrhoea, round worm, catarrh and gastric disorders[]. A root-decoction is used in the treatment of catarrh[].
The root-powder is rubbed over the body as a treatment of leprosy[]. The boiled roots are used in the treatment of stomach complaints[].

An infusion of the young twigs is used to help teething children[].

Sap from the centre of the stem is dripped into the eyes to treat eye-troubles[, ].

Some more speculative traditional uses include treatment against female sterility and mental disorders[].

Other Uses

The climbing branches are supple; they are used to make panniers and wicker-baskets for holding milk-vessels[, , ].

The plant is highly utilised for firewood and to make charcoal[, ].

Propagation

Seed - germinates well at a temperature of 25°c[].
The seed of most, if not all, species can be stored inside the fruit for several years without losing viability[].

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