Acalypha ciliata
Family: Euphorbiaceae
What it is like
A shrub or small tree. It grows 5 m tall. There are prickles along the stem. The leaves are twice divided and there are 8-18 pairs of pinnae. There are up to 50 pairs of pinnules on each pinnae. The flowers are yellow. They are in large clusters at the ends of branches. The pods are flattened.
There are over 450 Acalypha species. They are tropical. There are 225 in tropical America. This one is used in medicine.
Where it is found
It is a tropical plant. It grows best in good soils and damp conditions. It can grow in hot arid conditions with a marked dry season. It grows along rivers. In southern Africa it grows between 300-1,000 m altitude. It can grow in arid places. In Pakistan it grows between 600-1,800 m altitude.
Countries/locations it is found in
Africa, Benin, Botswana, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, East Africa, Ethiopia, Himalayas, India, Malawi, Middle East, Mozambique, Namibia, Nigeria, Pakistan, Sao Tome and Principe, Senegal, Saudi Arabia, Somalia, South Africa, Southern Africa, Sri Lanka, Uganda, West Africa, Yemen, Zambia, Zimbabwe
How it is used for food
The leaves are picked and washed and cut into small pieces then boiled or fried. They are used in porridge and soup.
Edible parts
Leaves, vegetable
How it is grown
Its other names
Local names
Cacayeou, Cipopo, Dadaro, Inchane, Koikoi