Snakewort, Torn's herb
Dorstenia contrajerva

Family: Moraceae

What it is like

A herb. A small evergreen plant that keeps growing from year to year. It has a creeping rhizome or underground stem. This produces a ring of leaves o long leaf stalks. Leaves may or may not have lobes. The leaves are 20 cm long and the leaf stalks are 25 cm long. The crushed plant exudes a white latex. The flowers are separately male and female and small. The fruit are small and in a 4 sided container. The seeds are released explosively.

It is used as medicine.

Where it is found

It is a tropical plant. It grows up to about 150 m above sea level.

Countries/locations it is found in

Africa, America, Argentina, Asia, Belize, Brazil, Caribbean, Central America, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, El Salvador, Grenada, Guadeloupe, Guatemala, Guyana, Honduras, Indonesia, Malaysia, Martinique, Mexico, Nicaragua, North America, Panama, Peru, Puerto Rico, SE Asia, South America, USA, Venezuela, West Indies

How it is used for food

The leaves and rhizome are used for flavouring.

Edible parts

Leaf - flavouring, rhizome, root

How it is grown

Plants grow from seeds.

Its other names

Local names

Contra hierba, Snake wood

Synonyms

Dorstenia alexiteria L.; Dorstenia houstonii (L.) L.; Dorstenia maculata Lem.; Dorstenia palmata Willd. ex Schult.; Dorstenia quadrangularis Stokes; and some varieties.