Common Name: Gisekia

General Information

Gisekia is a slightly succulent, glabrous, annual green herb, often with a pinkish tinge[]. The stems are trailing, decumbent or prostrate, up to 80 cm long, sometimes longer[].
The plant is gathered from the wild for local use as a food and medicine.

Known Hazards

The fruits are said to be poisonous[].

Botanical References

Range

Tropical Africa to Arabia. Also found in many other areas of the drier tropics and subtropics.

Habitat

A weed found along roadsides, in grassland, bushland and woodland, mostly on sandy soils, from sea-level up to elevations of 1,700 metres[].

Properties

Edibility Rating
Medicinal Rating
Habit	Annual
Height	0.20 m
Cultivation Status	Wild

Cultivation Details

Succeeds in the drier areas of tropical and subtropical climates.

Edible Uses

Leaves - occasionally eaten as a vegetable[]. It is more likely to be eaten as an emergency food[]. In some areas it is used as a condiment[].

Medicinal

The whole plant is eaten as a general strength restorative, e.g. after miscarriage[]. The cooked green leaves are eaten to treat asthma[]
The plant is considered to be a purgative in some areas, whilst in others it is taken to cure diarrhoea[].
It is used as a taenicide, but the plant should be consumed with great caution[].
The leaves are rubbed on swellings and the stem, pounded in butter, is placed on aching muscles[].

The sap of the plant is used against warts[].

The roots are made into a chest medicine[].

The seeds probably possess anthelmintic properties[].

Several phenolic acids have been identified in the vegetative parts, including p-OH-benzoic acid, caffeic acid, p-coumaric acid and vanillic acid[]. Ferulic and sinapic acids were absent, although these are usually present in the Aizoaceae[].
The tannin-like principles α- and β-gisekia have been found in the seed[].
Tannins are present in the whole plant[].

Other Uses

None known

Propagation

Seed -

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