This and other Zornia species were long confused with Zornia diphylla (L.) Pers. However, Dandy & Milne-Redhead in Kew Bull. 17: 73 - 74 (1963) concluded that the name Zornia diphylla must be restricted to the plant hitherto known as Zornia conjugata (Willd.) Sm., which, far from being a pantropical weed, seems to be unknown outside its natural area of distribution, namely Sri Lanka and southern India[].

Common Name:

General Information

Zornia glochidiata is a branched, erect or straggling annual plant growing from slender rootst. Usuallu a short-lived annual, rarely living beyond the rainy season, although the stems can become somewhat woody at the base and the plant can occasionally becoming perennial. The branched stems can grow 10 - 70cm tall[, , , , ].
The plant is sometimes harvested from the wild for local use as a food, medicine and source of materials.

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

,

Range

Africa - widespread from Senegal to Eritrea and Ethiopia, south to S. Africa and Madagascar; avoiding the wetter regions.

Habitat

Grassland, clearings, open Brachystegia, Julbernardia, Acacia or Colophospermum woodland, Brachystegia-Hyparrhenia mosaics; waste places, riverbanks, roadsides, cultivations; inland and coastal sand dunes[].

Properties

Edibility Rating
Medicinal Rating
Other Uses Rating
Habit	Annual
Height	0.40 m
Pollinators	Insects
Cultivation Status	Wild

Cultivation Details

Zornia glochidiata is a plant of drier areas in the tropics, where it is found at elevations up to 1,800 metres. It is common in sandy areas with a mean annual rainfall of 300 - 600mm or more during the rainy season and a dry season of up to 8 months[, ]. It is not tolerant of frost[]. It is an important component of Sahel and Sudano-Sahel grasslands. Around drinking places in northern Senegal it may form a continuous mat of vegetation during the rainy season[].

The plants wilt after the rainy season and disintegrate quickly[].
This species has a symbiotic relationship with certain soil bacteria; these bacteria form nodules on the roots and fix atmospheric nitrogen. Some of this nitrogen is utilized by the growing plant but some can also be used by other plants growing nearby[].

Edible Uses

The leaves are collected from the wild and eaten cooked in sauces with rice or couscous[].

Medicinal

The leaves are taken as a laxative[]. Cooked leaves are given to children suffering from kwashiorkor[].

Sap from the plant is febrifuge and is also used as eye drops against epilepsy[, ].

The root is eaten as an aphrodisiac, used in the treatment of venereal diseases, to prevent abortion and to ease childbirth[].

Agroforestry Uses:

The plant is a good soil binder, e.g. on bunds of paddy-fields[].

Other Uses

The plant contains saponins that lather in water and have been used as a soap substitute[, ].

Propagation

Seed -

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