Common Name:

General Information

Crassocephalum rubens is an erect, annual herb growing up to 1 metre tall[].
The plant is sometimes cultivated in western tropical Africa as a vegetable, being commonly eaten in Nigeria but less so elsewhere[, ]. It is often sold in local markets[].

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

Range

Africa - S. Africa, north throughout tropical Africa to Yemen in the Arabian Peninsula.

Habitat

Open disturbed land in lowlands and montane situations[].

Properties

Edibility Rating
Medicinal Rating
Other Uses Rating
Habit	Annual
Height	1.00 m
Pollinators	Bees
Cultivation Status	Cultivated, Wild

Cultivation Details

Succeeds in subtropical and tropical climates at low to moderate elevations[]. It is found in areas with an annual rainfall of 1,000 - 1,600 mm[].
The plant grows best in a well-drained soil with a high organic matter content[]. Prefers sandy loams[]. The plant requires support and shade and is often grown among cocoa trees[].
Removal of the flowering shoots encourages leaf production[].
In northern Sierra Leone two varieties are recognized and the leaves of both are eaten[].

Edible Uses

The whole young plant and the semi-succulent leaves are mucilaginous and are used as a pot-herb eaten in soups and sauces[, ]. They are especially relished when cooked with groundnuts and tomatoes[]. In some areas the leaves are said to cause stinging in the mouth and to be not well-liked[, ].

Medicinal

The leaves are slightly laxative[]. They are used in traditional medicine to treat a range of complaints. They are given to women after childbirth for their laxative effect; they are used as a treatment for 'belly palava' (stomach-ache); when eaten in quantity they are used to treat liver-complaints; they are used as an infusion against colds[].
Applied externally, they are made into a poultices to treat burns[]. The leaf-sap is applied to sore eyes and is also instilled into the eye to remove filaria parasites[]. They are crushed in water and rubbed into the ear to treat earache[].

A trace of alkaloid has been reported present in the leaves[].

The powdered root has been used prepared as a paste for external application to breast-cancer in Nigeria[].

Other Uses

Like garlic, the whole plant has repellent properties to crocodiles[, ].

Propagation

Seed -
Stem cuttings 20 - 25 cm long, obtained from mature shoots[]. The plant is described as being an annual which, if true, makes this a rather strange method of propagation[].

Add a Comment:

If you have any useful information about this plant, please leave a comment. Comments have to be approved before they are shown here.

Name:

Email(Private):

Message:

Captcha: subtract 1 from 12