Common Name:

General Information

Tragia insuavis is a perennial, climbing plant producing long, slender stems from a woody rootstock. The stems scramble over the ground or twine anticlockwise into nearby vegetation for support[]. One report says the plant has stinging hairs on the stems and leaves[], whilst another says it is without stinging hairs[].
The edible leaves are sometimes harvested from the wild for local consumption.

Known Hazards

The plant has stinging hairs on the leaves and stems[].

Botanical References

Range

East tropical Africa - Kenya, Tanzania.

Habitat

Deciduous bushland and thicket, sometimes by lakes or rivers, and in disturbed places, at elevations from 500 - 1,300 metres[].

Properties

Weed Potential	Yes
Edibility Rating
Habit	Perennial Climber
Height	0.00 m
Cultivation Status	Wild

Cultivation Details

The plant is sometimes a weed within its native range[].

Edible Uses

Leaves - cooked[]. The tender leaves are chopped and cooked alone, or can be mixed with other vegetables
such as amaranth, beans or peas. Coconut milk, pounded groundnuts or pounded sunflower seed may be added and then the whole is served with a staple food such as ugali, rice or potatoes[]. Care must be exercised when harvesting the leaves because of their stinging hairs.

Medicinal

None known

Other Uses

None known

Propagation

Seed -

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