Common Name:

General Information

Phyllanthus ovalifolius is a much-branched, often dense, scrambling or spreading, weak-stemmed shrub or a tree, sometimes with a climbing habit. It usually grows 2 - 5 metres tall, occasionally to 10 metres. The branches are long and slender; either horizontal, arching or pendent[].
The plant is harvested from the wild for local use as a medicine and source of materials for basketry.
Phyllanthus ovalifolius has a very wide distribution, large population, is not currently experiencing any major threats and no significant future threats have been identified. The plant is classified as 'Least Concern' in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species(2020)[].

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

Range

Tropical Africa - Nigeria, Cameroon, DR Congo, Sudan, Ethiopia, Uganda, Kenya, Rwanda, Burundi, Tanzania, Angola, Zambia, Malawi, Mozambique, Zimbabwe

Habitat

High rainfall deciduous woodlands; chipya woodland and thickets; evergreen rainforest; forest margins and gully forest; riverine forest and mushitu; sometimes on well-wooded rocky outcrops and termitaria; at elevations from 780 - 1,950 metres[].

Properties

Conservation Status	Least Concern
Medicinal Rating
Other Uses Rating
Habit	Shrub
Height	3.50 m
Cultivation Status	Wild

Cultivation Details

Plants can be monoecious or dioecious. Dioecious forms will need both male and female plants if seed is required[].

Edible Uses

None known

Medicinal

A plant decoction is drunk and used as a vapour bath to treat corneal ulcers[].

A root decoction is drunk to treat cough[].

A root and bark infusion is used to bathe sore eyes[].

A leaf decoction is taken in the treatment of measles; the leaves, mixed with butter, are applied to the skin for the same purpose[].

Other Uses

The flexible stems are used in making fish traps, baskets etc[].

Propagation

Seed -

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