Combretum aculeatum

Family: Combretaceae

What it is like

A scrambling shrub. It can grow to 4 m high. The young leaves and flowers have reddish hairs. The leaves fall off. They are small and alternate. They are 1-5 cm long and 8 mm wide and opposite leaves can be of unequal size. The flowers are along small stems. The flowers are 1.3 cm long. They have red anthers.

There are about 255 Combretum species. It is used in medicine.

Where it is found

A tropical plant. It grows in dry savannah. It grows in the Sahel. It can tolerate flooding. It is often on sandy and stony soils. It grows between 10-1,700 m above sea level. It grows in areas with an annual rainfall above 200 mm. It can grow in arid places.

Countries/locations it is found in

Africa, Benin, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Central Africa, Chad, Côte d'Ivoire, East Africa, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Guinea, Guinée, Ivory Coast, Kenya, Mali, Mauritania, Mediterranean, Morocco, Niger, Nigeria, North Africa, Sahel, Senegal, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan, Tanzania, Togo, Uganda, West Africa

How it is used for food

Caution: The leaves should be eaten with caution. They are used in medicine. The leaves are cooked and eaten.

It is a famine food.

Edible parts

Leaves, seeds, caution, fruit

How it is grown

Plants can be grown from seeds. It can be grown from cuttings and root suckers. It can be cut back and will re-grown.

Its other names

Local names

Aitra, Bubukia, Bulapal, Dablab, Gulugu, Ikik, Kalawuri, Kignfirda, Konti, Lahon niandi, Laugni, mu-Cigi, Muthigora, Qignfirta, Sajaata-saare, Sheibeit

Synonyms

Combretum alternifolium Spreng.; Combretum denhardtiorum Engl. & Diels; Combretum leuconili Schweinf.; Combretum ovale R. Br. ex G. Don; Guiera nudiflora Rchb. ex DC.;