Common Name:

General Information

Commicarpus plumbagineus is a perennial plant producing annual stems from a woody base. The stems, which can be 4 - 10 metres long, scramble over the ground or can climb into other plants[].
The plant is often gathered from the wild for local medicinal use.

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

Range

Africa - S. Africa, north through much of tropical Africa to the Mediterranean and southern Spain.

Habitat

In forest and grassland, often beside rivers and water courses on a variety of soils at elevations up to 1,800 metres[].

Properties

Medicinal Rating
Habit	Perennial
Height	5.00 m
Cultivation Status	Wild

Cultivation Details

Not known

Edible Uses

None known

Medicinal

The roots and leaves are expectorant and, in large doses, emetic[]. They are widely used to treat asthma.

A decoction of the leaves is used in the treatment of jaundice[, ].
The leaves are boiled and made into poultices for application to ulcers and Guinea worm sores[]. The ground leaves are applied to burns[]. The crushed leaves are rubbed on swollen glands[].
A leaf decoction, combined with the ash of burned stems is applied to wounds[, ].

The crushed roots are applied to treat yaws, and a poultice from the roots is used to treat leprosy[].

A decoction of the whole plant is used as laxative[].

Other Uses

An infusion of the whole plant is used as an insecticide, especially to deal with parasites such as lice in humans and against other insects on camels[].

Propagation

Seed -

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