Ciyomba
Centemopsis gracilenta

Family: Amaranthaceae

What it is like

An annual herb. It is erect and grows 0.5-1.6 m high. The stems are wiry and tough. There are lines along the stems. It is branched and bushy. The leave are narrow and 2-10 cm long by 1-3 mm wide. The flowers are like a spike and pink or white. They are 1.2-4 cm long by 0.6-1 cm wide. The fruit is a capsule about 2.5 mm long. It is pear shaped. The seeds are brown and 2.2 mm long. They are shiny with a net pattern on them.

Where it is found

It is a tropical plant. It grows on sand and in woodland and grassland. It grows between 450-1,680 m altitude.

Countries/locations it is found in

Africa, Angola, Central Africa, Congo, East Africa, Kenya, Malawi, Mozambique, Southern Africa, Tanzania, Zambia, Zimbabwe

How it is used for food

Edible parts

Leaves

How it is grown

Its other names

Local names

Synonyms

Achyropsis oxyuris Suesseng. & Overk.; Centema gracilenta Hiern.; Centemopsis myurus Suesseng.; Psilotrichum gracilentum (Hiern) C. B. Clarke;