Plants known by Tiv names — part 9 of 10 (Okwakwa to Tyembegh), 389 plants in all. Each entry gives the English and scientific names where they are known, a description, and what the archive records of the plant’s medicinal, food and ritual uses and how it is grown.
Aridan; Aidan tree; Oshosho
Tetrapleura tetrapleura
- Description
- A tall forest tree recognized by its distinctive four-winged, sausage-shaped seed pods, valued as a spice and medicinal plant across West Africa.
- Medicinal uses
- The fruit is used to cleanse the digestive system, relieve back pain, and speed childbirth; decoctions treat asthma, diabetes, intestinal worms, and malaria.
- As food
- The fragrant fruit is used to season dishes such as pepper soup and banga soup.
- Ritual uses
- In parts of Nigeria the fruit is traditionally burned or hung in the home after childbirth to fumigate the room and protect mother and baby; a Tiv-specific practice was not independently confirmed.
- Cultivation
- A forest tree, often retained in farmland and homesteads for its valued fruit.
Haemorrhage Plant or Wild Sunflower
Aspilia africana
- Description
- A semi-woody perennial herb (0.6–2 m) with quadrangular bristly stems, opposite lanceolate leaves, bright yellow daisy-like flowers, 4-angled fruits, and a characteristic “carroty” aroma.
- Medicinal uses
- Famous for stopping bleeding and healing wounds; also used for inflammation, pain, respiratory infections, gastrointestinal disorders, women’s health, eye care, anti-poison, and shows anticancer potential.
- As food
- Leaves occasionally used in soups; highly valued as protein-rich fodder for livestock (cattle, sheep, goats, rabbits).
- Ritual uses
- Used in cleansing rituals, protection ceremonies, love charms, and symbolic gender associations in certain African cultures.
- Cultivation
- Thrives in tropical/subtropical climates on well-drained soils, propagated via seeds, fast-growing pioneer species, enhances soil fertility; contraindicated in pregnancy and excessive long-term use due to reproductive toxicity.
Wild sunflower; Haemorrhage plant
Aspilia africana
- Description
- A semi-woody herb with hairy stems and deep yellow, daisy-like flowers, widespread on grassland and forest margins across tropical Africa.
- Medicinal uses
- Leaves are applied to fresh wounds and cuts to stop bleeding and promote healing, giving rise to its common name "haemorrhage plant"; also used for stomach ache and as an anti-inflammatory.
- Cultivation
- A common wild weed of grassland, waste ground, and cultivated land, not deliberately cultivated.
Swamp fig; Water fig
Ficus trichopoda
- Description
- A fig tree of riverbanks and swamps, with a spreading crown and hairy leaf undersides, bearing figs relished by birds and other wildlife.
- Cultivation
- Grows naturally along riverbanks, swamps, and floodplains; its milky latex has been used as birdlime and its bark plaited into rope.
Guinea grass; Green panic grass; Buffel grass
Panicum maximum
- Description
- A tall, tufted perennial grass forming large clumps, one of the most important tropical forage grasses.
- As food
- Widely grazed and cut as fodder for cattle and other livestock; a leading pasture grass across tropical Africa.
- Cultivation
- Propagated by seed or root splits; tolerates a wide range of soils and is often planted deliberately as pasture.
Babul, Gum Arabic Tree, Thorn Mimosa, Egyptian Acacia, Prickly Acacia
Acacia nilotica
- Description
- Acacia nilotica (scientifically recognized as Vachellia nilotica) is known in English as Babul, Gum Arabic Tree, or Prickly Acacia. Among the Tiv people, it is recognized as a hardy thorny tree valued for its medicinal strength, fodder use, and ability to improve poor soils rather than by multiple external names.
- Medicinal uses
- In Tiv traditional medicine, Vachellia nilotica is a highly important healing tree, with bark, leaves, pods, and gum used in remedies. Preparations from the bark and pods are commonly used to treat diarrhea, dysentery, stomach disorders, coughs, colds, and chest infections. The plant is also used for skin diseases, including rashes, sores, and infections. Chewing of young twigs is practiced for oral health, helping with toothache, gum problems, and mouth cleanliness. Decoctions are sometimes used in women’s health remedies, particularly for abnormal discharge and post-childbirth care. These traditional uses align with known antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and blood-sugar-regulating properties of the plant.
- As food
- Seeds locally processed and eaten as condiment, Young leaves eaten by cattle, goats and sheep.
- Cultivation
- Vachellia nilotica thrives well in dry savanna environments similar to those found in Tiv land. It tolerates poor, sandy, or saline soils and is highly drought-resistant, making it suitable for marginal lands. The tree is commonly propagated by seed, with seeds often soaked in hot water before planting to improve germination. It is a fast-growing species under favorable conditions and responds well to cutting and regrowth. Because it is a nitrogen-fixing tree, it is useful in soil restoration, erosion control, and agroforestry systems.
White thorn acacia
Acacia polyacantha subsp. campylacantha
- Description
- A tall, fast-growing thorny savanna tree with pale, flaking bark and long white spines along its branches.
- Medicinal uses
- Root extracts are used traditionally for snakebite and to calm agitated children; the pungent-smelling roots are also believed to repel snakes and crocodiles.
- As food
- Gum exuded from the trunk and the seeds are edible.
- Cultivation
- A fast-growing, nitrogen-fixing tree used in agroforestry and hedging; the bark is used in tanning and the gum in confectionery.
Spiny amaranth; Thorny amaranth; Prickly amaranth
Amaranthus spinosus
- Description
- An erect, branching annual weed with sharp spines at the leaf bases, common on disturbed and waste ground.
- Medicinal uses
- Leaf and root preparations are used across Africa and Asia for fever and diarrhoea, and as a galactagogue to promote breast milk; the plant is also valued for its high iron and vitamin content.
- As food
- Young leaves are cooked and eaten as a vegetable, though care is taken to avoid the spiny stem bases.
- Cultivation
- A fast-growing weed of farmland, gardens, and waste ground, tolerant of poor soils.
Ginger; Common ginger
Zingiber officinale
- Description
- A perennial herb grown for its aromatic underground rhizome, one of the most widely used spice and medicinal plants in the world.
- Medicinal uses
- The rhizome is used across cultures for nausea, indigestion, colds, and inflammation, and is a common ingredient in traditional cough and cold remedies.
- As food
- Used fresh, dried, or powdered to flavor drinks, soups, and stews; ginger tea and ginger-based drinks are widely consumed.
- Cultivation
- Propagated from rhizome cuttings ('seed rhizomes') planted in loose, fertile soil; harvested after 8-10 months.
Golden Fruit Gardenia, West African Gardenia
Gardenia erubescens
- Description
- Gardenia erubescens is a tropical African shrub or small tree native to the Sudanian savannah of West Africa. It is recognized for its fragrant white flowers that gradually turn yellow and its hard, yellowish wood.
- Medicinal uses
- Widely used in traditional medicine across Northern Nigeria, Burkina Faso, and neighboring regions:
Sexually Transmitted & Bacterial Infections: Used in the treatment of syphilis and gonorrhea.
Digestive Disorders: Bark and leaves are used for stomach and intestinal diseases, gastroenteritis, and ascites.
Respiratory & Head Conditions: Decoctions are taken for respiratory infections, headaches, and migraines.
General & Other Uses: Used as an aphrodisiac, stimulant, and in addressing malnutrition.
Parts Used: Bark, roots, leaves, and fruits.
- As food
- Fruit Consumption: Yellowish, elliptical fruits (3–5 cm long) are edible and eaten raw; they have a pleasant, sweet aroma.
Culinary Uses: Fruits are used in sauces and soups.
Nutritional Value: Fruits are reported to be rich in vitamins A, B, and C and aid digestion.
- Ritual uses
- Cosmetic Use: A black dye extracted from the seeds is used as a cosmetic.
Marriage Customs: Among some groups (e.g., Gourma), the plant is included in marriage gifts from the groom’s family.
Ritual & Protective Uses: Employed in traditional protective or psycho-magical practices.
Cultural Taboos: In some regions (e.g., Mossi areas), pregnant women or women of childbearing age avoid using the wood due to cultural beliefs.
Wood Uses: The hard yellow wood is used to make small household tools such as spoons.
- Cultivation
- Seed Propagation: The most common method.
Vegetative Propagation: Softwood cuttings can be used; rooting occurs in about 40–45 days under high humidity in well-drained soil (sand–compost mix).
Growing Conditions: Prefers full sun to partial shade; adapted to tropical savannah climates (USDA zones 9–11).
Kpan-nythar Castor oil plant; Castor; Palma-christi.
Ricinus communis
- Description
- A fast-growing shrub or small tree with large, star-shaped leaves and spiny seed capsules, grown for the oil pressed from its seeds.
- Medicinal uses
- Castor oil, pressed from the seeds, is used as a traditional purgative and for skin and hair care; the raw seeds are highly toxic due to the poison ricin and must never be eaten.
- Cultivation
- A fast-growing, drought-tolerant plant that self-seeds readily; often found growing wild around homesteads and waste ground, and also cultivated for oil production.
Acanthus
Acanthus inoutanus
- Description
- A spiny-leaved shrub with pink and white tubular flowers, common in disturbed forest and roadside vegetation across West Africa.
- Medicinal uses
- Roots and leaves are used in Nigeria and across West Africa to treat boils and furuncles, coughs, urinary and genital infections, and body pain.
- As food
- Young leaves are cooked and eaten as a vegetable in some West African cuisines.
- Cultivation
- A wild shrub of forest margins, roadsides, and disturbed ground; also grown as an ornamental hedge for its glossy, spiny foliage.
False Abura or Mitragyna
Mitragyna inermis
- Description
- Mitragyna inermis is a West African shrub or small tree valued for its antimalarial, antimicrobial, and medicinal properties, distinct from M. speciosa (kratom).
- Medicinal uses
- The plant is traditionally used for malaria, fever, gastrointestinal disorders, hypertension, diabetes, wound healing, neurological conditions, and nutritional recovery in chronic illnesses.
- As food
- There are no widely documented human food uses.
- Ritual uses
- Certain ethnic groups use it as a psychotherapeutic or "psychosomatic" medicine, while the wood and bark are employed for crafting utensils, writing boards, and extracting yellow dye.
- Cultivation
- Primarily wild-harvested, the plant grows in full sun, tolerates saline or heavy clay soils, propagates from seed or root suckers, and responds well to coppicing.
Savanna mitragyna; African linden
Mitragyna inermis
- Description
- A small tree of swampy and seasonally flooded savanna, in the same genus as the Asian kratom plant.
- Medicinal uses
- Bark, root, and leaf preparations are widely used across the Sahel and savanna West Africa for malaria, fever, diarrhoea, hypertension, diabetes, and skin infections.
- Cultivation
- Grows naturally in damp, seasonally flooded savanna and along the margins of ponds and mangrove swamps; the wood is used for small artefacts.
Common bamboo; Golden bamboo
Bambusa vulgaris
- Description
- A large, fast-growing clumping bamboo with hollow, jointed stems (culms), widely planted for construction material and as a windbreak.
- As food
- Young shoots can be eaten as a vegetable after boiling to remove bitterness.
- Cultivation
- Propagated from culm or rhizome cuttings; grows extremely fast and is widely used for scaffolding, fencing, furniture, and craftwork.
Loofah; Sponge gourd; Vegetable sponge
Luffa cylindrica
- Description
- A climbing annual vine of the gourd family grown for its long, ridged fruit, which develops a fibrous internal network when mature.
- As food
- Young, immature fruit is cooked and eaten as a vegetable, similar to a courgette.
- Cultivation
- A vigorous climbing vine grown on trellises or fences; when the mature fruit dries, its fibrous skeleton is used as a scrubbing sponge.
Soybean; Soya bean
Glycine max
- Description
- An erect, bushy annual legume grown worldwide for its protein- and oil-rich seeds.
- As food
- Seeds are processed into oil, flour, milk, and various fermented and unfermented foods; a major source of dietary protein and cooking oil.
- Cultivation
- Grown as a rotation and cash crop; fixes nitrogen in the soil through root nodules and matures in about 3-4 months.
Sandalwood
Pterocarpus santalinoides
- Description
- Pterocarpus santalinoides is commonly referred to in English as Sandalwood (though it is botanically distinct from true sandalwood). Among the Tiv people, it is recognized as an important medicinal and food tree, especially valued for its edible leaves and healing properties rather than for multiple external names.
- Medicinal uses
- In Tiv traditional medicine, Pterocarpus santalinoides is highly regarded, with the leaves, bark, and roots widely used to treat common illnesses. Leaf and bark preparations are used for gastrointestinal conditions, including diarrhea, dysentery, stomach pain, and ulcers. Decoctions are also taken for parasitic and febrile illnesses, reflecting its importance in managing infections. The bark is used for reducing inflammation and body pains, such as joint pain and swelling, while crushed leaves or poultices are applied externally to wounds to aid healing. The plant is further valued for remedies associated with blood sugar control and general body cleansing. These traditional uses are supported by studies showing antibacterial, antifungal, anti-inflammatory, and antidiabetic properties.
- As food
- Among the Tiv community, Pterocarpus santalinoides is an important leafy vegetable plant. The young, tender leaves are harvested and cooked into soups and stews, where they contribute both flavor and nutrition. The leaves are valued for their high protein content, carbohydrates, and essential minerals, making them an important dietary supplement. The seeds, when properly roasted, may be eaten as snacks, though Tiv practice avoids consuming raw seeds due to their bitter and potentially harmful components.
- Cultivation
- Pterocarpus santalinoides grows well in moist savanna zones, riverbanks, and farmland edges common in Tiv land. It prefers fertile, loamy soils and thrives in sunny to lightly shaded environments. The tree can be propagated by direct seeding or cuttings, though cuttings are often preferred due to better establishment. Studies indicate that topsoil provides the most suitable medium for raising seedlings. The species is fast-growing and well adapted to local conditions.
Bastard rosewood; African sandalwood
Pterocarpus santalinoides
- Description
- A medium-sized tree of riverbanks and moist forest, valued both as a leafy vegetable and for its reddish, fragrant wood.
- Medicinal uses
- Leaf and bark preparations treat gastroenteritis and diarrhoea, and are combined with other herbs for malaria and blood-parasite infections; root decoctions are used for asthma.
- As food
- Fresh leaves are used as a soup vegetable in Nigeria, and the stem bark flavors pepper soup; uncooked seeds are toxic and must be roasted before eating.
- Cultivation
- Grows naturally along riverbanks and in moist forest; also planted for its edible leaves, fragrant wood, and as a living fence.
Savanna bluestem grass
Schizachyrium exile
- Description
- A slender annual grass of open savanna and disturbed ground, growing in erect tufts.
- Cultivation
- A wild grass of poor, dry, disturbed soils; the mature grass is gathered for thatching, weaving, and coarse matting.
Tobacco
Nicotiana tabacum
- Description
- An erect annual herb with large, broad leaves, cultivated worldwide for the leaves used in tobacco products.
- Medicinal uses
- Leaf preparations are used topically in some traditional practice for insect stings and skin ailments, and leaves are used as a natural insecticide in gardens; tobacco is highly addictive and its use carries serious health risks.
- Cultivation
- Grown as an annual crop from seed; the leaves are harvested and then cured and dried before use.
Cutleaf groundcherry, wild cape gooseberry
Physalis angulata
- Description
- Physalis angulata is an erect annual herb with lantern-like calyx-enclosed berries, ovate leaves, and pale yellow flowers, whose ripe fruits are edible while unripe parts are toxic.
- Medicinal uses
- The plant is widely used in traditional medicine as an anti-inflammatory, immune stimulant, and antimicrobial for treating pain, respiratory illnesses, liver disorders, metabolic diseases, infections, and postpartum conditions.
- As food
- Its ripe berries are eaten fresh or processed into sauces, jams, and salads, while young leaves are sometimes cooked as a vegetable.
- Ritual uses
- Physalis angulata is culturally used in traditional healing practices, children’s play, and ritual poultices for skin ailments and snake bites in parts of Africa and Southeast Asia.
- Cultivation
- Easily grown from seed in warm, well-drained soils, it is a fast-growing plant harvested when the papery husk dries, though it can host crop-damaging diseases.
white Egyptian lotus, tiger lotus, white lotus, and Egyptian water-lily
Nymphaea lotus
- Description
- An aquatic perennial herb with floating, rounded leaves and white to pinkish flowers that open above still water.
- Medicinal uses
- Rhizomes and other parts are used in African and Asian traditional medicine, and have been studied for antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties.
- As food
- Rhizomes, seeds, and young fruits have long been eaten as a famine food in West Africa; seeds are roasted or ground into flour.
- Cultivation
- Grows wild in ponds, swamps, and slow-moving rivers across tropical Africa; not typically field-cultivated.
Berlinia; African berlinia
Berlinia grandiflora
- Description
- A savanna and forest-margin tree with large showy flowers, valued for both its timber and its traditional medicinal uses.
- Medicinal uses
- Bark sap is applied to sores and wounds; bark decoctions are used for haemorrhoids and liver complaints and as a vermifuge; leaf decoctions are taken as a tonic.
- Cultivation
- Harvested from the wild for medicine and timber; also planted as a shade and ornamental tree in villages.
Tomato; Garden tomato
Lycopersicon esculentum
- Description
- A sprawling or semi-erect annual crop plant grown for its red, fleshy edible fruit.
- As food
- Fruit is eaten fresh, cooked, or processed into sauces, stews, and pastes; a central ingredient in Nigerian cuisine.
- Cultivation
- Grown from seed as an annual crop, usually staked, and requiring fertile soil and regular watering.
African Rosewood, Large-flowered Berlinia, Large-flowered Berlinia Tree
Berlinia grandiflora
- Description
- Berlinia grandiflora is a deciduous, woody, leguminous tree primarily native to the forest galleries, savannas, and rocky slopes of tropical West and Central Africa. It is recognized for its high socio-economic value as a timber source and for the medicinal and food uses of its bark and seeds.
- Medicinal uses
- The bark, leaves, and roots are widely used in traditional medicine to treat infections, intestinal worms, pain, fever, liver problems, gastrointestinal disorders, and wounds.
- As food
- Its seeds are eaten as beans or used as seasoning in parts of Cameroon and Nigeria and are valued for their nutritional fat content.
- Ritual uses
- The bark and pods are used for rope-making, household tools, and pot-cleaning nets, and the tree is preserved in farms and plantations for shade and cultural utility.
- Cultivation
- The tree is best propagated through stem cuttings from young shoots, which root successfully in soil–sawdust mixtures within about six weeks.
Spear grass; Red-tipped grass
Andropogon schirensis
- Description
- An erect, tufted perennial grass growing up to about 2 m tall, found in shallow rocky soils and grassland across tropical Africa.
- As food
- Grazed by livestock while young and tender.
- Cultivation
- A wild grass of savanna, rocky ground, and grassland margins; not cultivated.
Cogon grass; Blady grass; Lalang; Spear grass
Imperata cylindrica
- Description
- An aggressive, rhizomatous perennial grass with sharp-edged leaves, among the world's most widespread grassland weeds.
- Medicinal uses
- Rhizomes are used in traditional medicine across Asia and Africa as a diuretic and anti-inflammatory, and for jaundice, haematuria, and fever.
- Cultivation
- Spreads aggressively by rhizomes and wind-blown seed; the leaves are traditionally used for thatching roofs.
Sausage tree or Cucumber tree
Kigelia africana
- Description
- Kigelia africana is commonly known in English as the Sausage tree or Cucumber tree, named after its large, hanging, sausage-shaped fruits. Among the Tiv people, the tree is traditionally recognized for its strong medicinal and spiritual importance and is commonly identified by its distinctive fruit rather than multiple external names.
- Medicinal uses
- Among the Tiv tribe, Kigelia africana is highly valued in traditional medicine, with the bark, fruits, and roots used to treat a wide range of ailments. Preparations from the fruit and bark are commonly applied to skin conditions such as boils, fungal infections, rashes, eczema, and chronic sores. Powdered bark or fruit is used for wound healing, ulcers, and abscesses.
The plant is also used in reproductive and gynecological treatments, including remedies for sexually transmitted infections and conditions affecting fertility. Decoctions of the bark and roots are taken for digestive problems such as stomach pain, diarrhea, and constipation. In Tiv traditional practice, the tree is also regarded as effective for body swelling, inflammation, and pain, and it is sometimes used as a protective medicinal plant against serious illnesses.
- As food
- In Tiv land, the fruit is not eaten raw due to its harmful effects, but parts of the plant may be processed for non-food medicinal preparations. The leaves are recognized for their nutritional value, especially their mineral content, and may be used indirectly in traditional remedies. The large fruits are commonly observed being eaten by wild animals, reinforcing the tree’s ecological importance.
- Ritual uses
- Culturally, Kigelia africana holds spiritual significance among the Tiv people. The fruits may be kept in compounds or hung in strategic locations as protective charms believed to ward off harm, illness, or negative spiritual influence.
- Cultivation
- Kigelia africana grows well in riverine areas, farmlands, and open savanna zones common in Tiv land. It prefers full sunlight and moist but well-drained soils, though it can tolerate dry conditions once established. The tree is usually propagated by seeds collected from fallen fruits. Due to its large and heavy fruits, Tiv farmers traditionally avoid planting it close to homes, footpaths, or communal gathering areas.
Alligator pepper; Grains of paradise; Melegueta pepper
Aframomum melegueta
- Description
- A herbaceous ginger-family plant with reed-like stems, grown for its pungent, peppery seeds.
- Medicinal uses
- Seeds are used across West Africa in folk remedies for hypercholesterolemia, hypertension, and inflammation.
- As food
- Seeds are used as a pungent spice in West African cooking, often as a pepper substitute.
- Ritual uses
- The seeds, widely called alligator pepper in West Africa, are used in ceremonies such as naming ceremonies, marriages, and title-taking events, and are offered to ancestors alongside kola nut.
- Cultivation
- A shade-tolerant herb of humid forest, propagated by rhizome division; the seed pods are harvested and dried.
Cussonia; Spiked cabbage tree
Cussonia arborea
- Description
- A deciduous savanna tree with a rounded crown of large, lobed leaves that resemble a cabbage, giving rise to its common name.
- Medicinal uses
- Leaves and bark are used across West Africa for malaria, painful menstruation, digestive complaints, and skin problems; root decoctions are used for venereal disease and as a diuretic.
- Cultivation
- A wild tree of savanna and woodland, often left standing in cleared farmland for shade.
Wild poinsettia; Mexican fire plant; Milkweed
Euphorbia heterophylla
- Description
- An erect annual herb with milky latex and leaves that vary from plain green to blotched with red near the flower clusters, resembling a small poinsettia.
- Medicinal uses
- Extracts have been studied for antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory activity, but all parts of the plant, especially the milky latex, are toxic and can irritate skin and mucous membranes — not for informal use.
- Cultivation
- A common weed of cultivated and disturbed ground across the tropics, spreading readily by seed.
Southern dodder; Australian dodder
Cuscuta australis
- Description
- A leafless, rootless parasitic vine with thin, yellow-orange twining stems that wrap around and draw nutrients from host plants.
- Medicinal uses
- Species in the Cuscuta genus are used in parts of Asia as a traditional liver tonic, and extracts of this species have been studied for antioxidant and hepatoprotective properties.
- Cultivation
- A parasitic plant with no true roots or leaves; spreads by seed and by stem fragments that attach to a host plant via haustoria.
Windmill grass; Newton's ctenium
Ctenium newtonii
- Description
- A tufted, wiry perennial grass of West African savanna, growing to about a metre tall, named for its comb-like, one-sided flower spike.
- As food
- Grazed as pasture in savanna grassland.
- Cultivation
- A wild grass of Sudanian savanna, not cultivated.
African rosewood; Barwood; Senegal rosewood
Pterocarpus erinaceus
- Description
- A medium to large deciduous savanna tree valued for its reddish heartwood, which yields a red gum when the bark is cut.
- Medicinal uses
- Bark, leaf, and root preparations are used across West Africa for malaria, fever, anaemia, menstrual complaints, stomach ailments, and wounds.
- As food
- Leaves are browsed by livestock and used as fodder.
- Cultivation
- Heavily overexploited for the international rosewood timber trade; now considered threatened across parts of its West African range due to unsustainable harvesting.
Tamarind, Tamarind tree, Indian date, Madeira mahogany
Tamarinus indica.L
- Description
- Tamarindus indica L. is a long-lived, multipurpose, evergreen tree belonging to the Fabaceae family, originating in tropical Africa but now naturalized throughout the tropics. It is highly valued for its edible pods, medicinal properties, and durable wood.
- Medicinal uses
- Almost all parts of the tree—fruit, leaves, bark, roots, and seeds—are used to treat fever, digestive issues, wounds, skin infections, chest pains, leprosy, and measles, with confirmed antioxidant, antimicrobial, and anti-inflammatory properties.
- As food
- The pulp is eaten raw or used to flavor soups, stews, sauces, and beverages; tender leaves and flowers are cooked as vegetables, and seeds are roasted or boiled for consumption.
- Ritual uses
- It is considered sacred in some African cultures, used for marking culturally important sites, while its wood serves for furniture, tools, fuel, shade, and windbreaks.
- Cultivation
- Tamarind is mainly propagated by seeds, which are scarified or boiled to improve germination, and can also be propagated vegetatively through grafting, air layering, or budding to preserve superior fruit traits.
Satin wood, African teak, False dalbergia.
Pericopsis Laxiflora
- Description
- Pericopsis laxiflora (Benth. ex Baker) Meeuwen (Family: Leguminosae) is a deciduous tree commonly found in the savanna woodlands and fringing forests of tropical Africa. It is highly valued for its medicinal properties, timber, and shade.
- Medicinal uses
- Bark, roots, and leaves are used to treat digestive issues, pain, fever, infections, skin diseases, and pediatric ailments, showing antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, and anti-trypanosomal properties.
- As food
- The species is not widely used for direct human consumption but provides shade for crops in savannah regions.
- Ritual uses
- It is used in traditional medicine for mental and neurological disorders, while the wood is used for furniture, tools, fuel, and charcoal, and the tree is often planted in communities for shade.
- Cultivation
- The tree is mainly propagated by seeds or cuttings, prefers full sun and well-drained soil, and is fast-growing.
Coffee Senna, Coffee Weed, Negro Coffee, Stinking weed
Senna occidentalis
- Description
- Senna occidentalis is a pantropical, often invasive, plant known for its diverse medicinal, nutritional, and industrial applications, as well as its strong smell and toxic properties in high doses. It was formerly known as Cassia occidentalis.
- Medicinal uses
- Laxative, liver tonic, fever reducer, painkiller, skin conditions, coughs, bone fractures, antibacterial for livestock.
- As food
- Seeds roasted as coffee substitute; young leaves and shoots eaten in some regions (requires caution due to toxicity).
- Ritual uses
- Protective plant, newborn baths, wound care in some cultures.
- Cultivation
- Disturbed/waste areas; tropical/subtropical; full sun, well-drained soil; propagated by seeds; highly invasive.
Cape fig, Broom cluster fig, Bush fig, Wild fig.
Ficus sur
- Description
- Ficus sur is known by several common names, most frequently Cape fig, broom cluster fig, and bush fig, is valued for its edible fruit, medicinal uses, and as a habitat for wildlife, often producing figs directly on the trunk and branches
- Medicinal uses
- Ficus sur is a widely used medicinal plant in traditional medicine. It is valued for treating blood-related conditions like anemia, skin diseases and wounds, gastrointestinal disorders, infections, pain and inflammation, epilepsy, and reproductive health issues such as infertility and lactation. Various parts of the plant are used: leaves, roots, bark, latex, and fruits, prepared as decoctions, infusions, powders, or topical applications. Its medicinal effects are linked to bioactive compounds such as flavonoids, tannins, saponins, and triterpenoids, which provide antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, antifungal, and potential antiviral and antidiabetic properties. Despite its benefits, Ficus sur must be used with caution, as some parts contain toxic substances and require proper traditional knowledge for safe use.
- As food
- Ripe fruits eaten, tender leaves as vegetable.
- Cultivation
- Both seed and stem
Sausage tree; African sausage tree
Kigelia africana
- Description
- A large spreading tree named for its huge, sausage-shaped woody fruit that hangs from long stalks.
- Medicinal uses
- Fruit and bark are used across Africa for skin conditions such as eczema and psoriasis, for wound healing, and as a poultice for boils; leaves are used for snakebite treatment in West Africa. The raw, unripe fruit is purgative and toxic if eaten — used only in prepared traditional remedies.
- Cultivation
- A slow-growing savanna tree, propagated from seed; commonly planted as a shade and ornamental tree.
