Acalypha segetalis

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.

Where it is found

It is a tropical plant. It grows in floodplains. It southern Africa it grows from sea level to 1,500 m altitude.

Countries/locations it is found in

Africa, Angola, Botswana, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Central Africa, Central African Republic, CAR, Congo, East Africa, Ethiopia, Kenya, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, Niger, Nigeria, Sahel, Senegal, Sierra Leone, South Africa, Southern Africa, Uganda, West Africa, Zambia, Zimbabwe

How it is used for food

The leaves are cooked and eaten as a vegetable. They are used in sauces, and for flavouring. Caution: It should probably only be eaten in small amounts.

Edible parts

Leaves, flavouring, vegetable

How it is grown

Its other names

Local names

Dendji

Synonyms

Acalypha gemina var. brevibracteata (Mull. Arg.) Mull. Arg.; Acalypha gemina var. exserta (Mull. Arg.) Mull. Arg.; Acalypha sessilis var. brevibracteata Mull. Arg.; Acalypha sessilis var. exserta Mull. Arg.;