Lepidium africanum
(Burm.f.) DC.
Brassicaceae
Lepidium ambiguum F.Muell.
Lepidium divaricatum Aiton
Lepidium dubium Thell.
Lepidium hyssopifolium Desv.
Lepidium iberioides Desv.
Lepidium linoides Thunb.
Lepidium schlechteri Burtt Davy
Lepidium subdentatum Burch. ex DC.
Lepidium tasmanicum Thell.
Nasturtium divaricatum (Aiton) Kuntze
Thlaspi africanum Burm.f.
Thlaspi divaricatum (Aiton) Poir.
Common Name:
General Information
Lepidium africanum is an erect or straggling, usually much-branched, annual to perennial plant with stems that can become more or less woody; it can grow 15 - 100cm tall[
299- Title
- Protabase - Plant Resources of Tropical Africa.
- Publication
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- Author
-
- Website
- http://www.prota.org
- Publisher
-
- Year
- 0
- ISBN
-
- Description
- An excellent on-line database with detailed information on over 3,200 species of useful plants of Africa.
].
The plant is harvested from the wild for local use as a food and medicine.
Known Hazards
None known
Botanical References
308- Title
- Flora Zambesiaca
- Publication
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- Author
-
- Website
- http://apps.kew.org/efloras/fz/intro.html
- Publisher
-
- Year
- 0
- ISBN
-
- Description
- An excellent online flora of plants from the Zambezi River basin. It lists a number of the plant uses as well as the habitats and botanical descriptions of the plants.
Range
Africa - Eritrea, Ethiopia, eastern DR Congo, Uganda, Kenya, Namibia, Zimbabwe, Swaziland, S. Africa - Madagascar.
Habitat
Open dry grassland, a weed in arable fields, roadsides; at elevations from 1,100 - 2,600 metres, occasionally descending to 100 metres[
299- Title
- Protabase - Plant Resources of Tropical Africa.
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Website
- http://www.prota.org
- Publisher
-
- Year
- 0
- ISBN
-
- Description
- An excellent on-line database with detailed information on over 3,200 species of useful plants of Africa.
].
Properties
| Weed Potential | Yes |
| Edibility Rating |  |
| Medicinal Rating |  |
| Habit | Annual/Perennial |
| Height | 0.70 m |
| Pollinators | Insects |
| Cultivation Status | Wild |
Cultivation Details
The plant has become a widespread weed of warm temperate to tropical regions[
].
Edible Uses
Leaves - cooked and eaten as a vegetable[
299- Title
- Protabase - Plant Resources of Tropical Africa.
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Website
- http://www.prota.org
- Publisher
-
- Year
- 0
- ISBN
-
- Description
- An excellent on-line database with detailed information on over 3,200 species of useful plants of Africa.
].
Medicinal
The leaves are used in traditional medicine to treat cough, bronchitis and sore throat[
299- Title
- Protabase - Plant Resources of Tropical Africa.
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Website
- http://www.prota.org
- Publisher
-
- Year
- 0
- ISBN
-
- Description
- An excellent on-line database with detailed information on over 3,200 species of useful plants of Africa.
].
Dried unripe seed is added to food for the treatment of stomach ulcers[
299- Title
- Protabase - Plant Resources of Tropical Africa.
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Website
- http://www.prota.org
- Publisher
-
- Year
- 0
- ISBN
-
- Description
- An excellent on-line database with detailed information on over 3,200 species of useful plants of Africa.
].
Other Uses
None known
Propagation
Seed -
If you have any useful information about this plant, please leave a comment. Comments have to be approved before they are shown here.
Useful Tropical Plants Database 2014 by
Ken Fern,
web interface by
Ajna Fern
with help from
Richard Morris.
