Rumex ruwenzoriensis
Chiov.
Polygonaceae
Rumex afromontanus T.C.E.Fr.
Common Name:
General Information
Rumex ruwenzoriensis is a stout, erect, herbaceous perennial plant with stems 1 metre or more tall.
The plant is sometimes gathered from the wild for local consumption of its leaves.
Known Hazards
Although no specific mention has been seen for this species, plants in this genus can contain quite high levels of oxalic acid, which is what can give their leaves an acid-lemon flavour. Perfectly alright in small quantities, leaves containing oxalic acid should not be eaten in large amounts since it can lock-up other nutrients in the food, especially calcium, thus causing mineral deficiencies. The oxalic acid content will be reduced if the plant is cooked. People with a tendency to rheumatism, arthritis, gout, kidney stones or hyperacidity should take especial caution if including this plant in their diet since it can aggravate their condition[
238- Title
- Encyclopaedia of Herbs and their Uses.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Bown. D.
- Publisher
- Dorling Kindersley, London.
- Year
- 1995
- ISBN
- 0-7513-020-31
- Description
- A very well presented and informative book on herbs from around the globe. Plenty in it for both the casual reader and the serious student. Just one main quibble is the silly way of having two separate entries for each plant.
].
Botanical References
610- Title
- Flora of Tropical East Africa
- Publication
-
- Author
- Beentje H.J.
- Website
- http://plants.jstor.org/search?st=396814
- Publisher
- Royal Botanic Gardens; Kew.
- Year
- 2002
- ISBN
-
- Description
- Available on-line, a modern flora of East Africa.
Range
East tropical Africa - eastern DR Congo, Uganda, Kenya, Rwanda, Burundi, Tanzania.
Habitat
Grassland, moor, streamsides, bamboo-forest, in moist situations; at elevations from 1,950 - 3,700 metres[
328- Title
- African Flowering Plants Database
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Website
- http://www.ville-ge.ch/musinfo/bd/cjb/africa/recherche.php
- Publisher
- Conservatoire et Jardin Botaniques.
- Year
- 0
- ISBN
-
- Description
- Contains information on over 150,000 plant names (including synonyms) giving a description and habitat, plus a distribution map.
].
Properties
| Edibility Rating |  |
| Habit | Perennial |
| Height | 1.00 m |
| Cultivation Status | Wild |
Cultivation Details
Not known
Edible Uses
Leaves - cooked[
398- Title
- Edible Wild Plants of Tanzania
- Publication
-
- Author
- Ruffo, C.K.: Birnie, A. & Tengnas, B.
- Publisher
- Regional Land Management Unit; Nairobi.
- Year
- 2002
- ISBN
- 9966-896-60-0
- Description
- A very well presented, simple guide to growing and utilizing wild food plants in Tanzania, with line drawings of each plant, a description, habitat and range, non-food as well as food uses, plus basic information on growing the plants.
].
Medicinal
None known
Other Uses
None known
Propagation
Seed -
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Useful Tropical Plants Database 2014 by
Ken Fern,
web interface by
Ajna Fern
with help from
Richard Morris.
