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Botanical Name: Crinum macowanii
Family: Amaryllidaceae
Subfamily:Amaryllidoideae
Kingdom:Plantae
Order: Asparagales
Genus: Crinum
Species:C. macowanii

Synonyms:
*Crinum gouwsii Traub
*Crinum johnstonii Baker
*Crinum macowanii subsp. kalahariense L.S.Hannibal
*Crinum pedicellatum Pax

Common Names: River crinum, river lily, Common vlei-lily, Sabie crinum, Cape coast lily (Eng.); Rivierlelie, Boslelie, Sabielelie (Afr.); Intelezi (isiXhosa); Umduze (isiZulu)

Habitat : Crinum macowanii is native to most of east, central, and southern Africa. The plant occurs naturally in moist grassland, vlei, deciduous woodland, in hard, dry shale, sandy flats, or brackish to reddish clay soils, as well as along rivers and on the coast from 1000 to 2600 m above sea level.

Its continued existence is threatened by the unsustainable harvesting of the plant for its reputed medicinal properties.

Description:
Crinum macowanii is a deciduous bulbous plant with long, slender, bell-shaped, highly scented flowers which are white except for dark pink stripes.
The bulbs of this species vary greatly in size, being anywhere from 6 to 25 centimetres in diameter.

The flowers are large, bell-shaped, strongly sweet-scented white lilies with dark pink stripes, produced in umbels of 5 to 25 flowers on the tip of a long stalk, up to 1.1m tall. Flowering season is early summer (October to December). The fruit is a capsule of 3-6 irregularly shaped large (±20mm diameter) smooth, pale green to silvery, fleshy seeds or occasionally up to 20 small seeds.

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Cultivation:
Plant the bulbs, pointed end upwards, into the soil with the top of the bulbs slightly exposed. Water in well after planting and continue to water regularly throughout the season. Crinums often start to flower around August and last well into autumn.

Medicinal Uses:
Throughout much of Africa, the bulbs of Crinum macowanii are used for the treatment of a large number of conditions, with the roots and leaves having some, though far fewer, traditional uses.

Infusions of the bulb of the plant are used in Zimbabwe for the relief of back pain, as an emetic, and to increase lactation in both humans and animals.

The Zulu and Xhosa people make use of the plant for the treatment of bodily swelling, disorders of the urinary tract, and itchy rashes.

Various other ailments the treatment for which this plant is made use include acne, boils, diarrhea, fever, tuberculosis, and sexually transmitted infections.

The plant is also used in traditional veterinary medicine in South Africa.

Disclaimer : The information presented herein is intended for educational purposes only. Individual results may vary, and before using any supplement, it is always advisable to consult with your own health care provider.

Resources:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crinum_macowanii
http://pza.sanbi.org/crinum-macowanii

Botanical Name:Crassocephalum rubens
Family: Asteraceae
Kingdom: Plantae
Order: Asterales
Tribe: Senecioneae
Genus: Crassocephalum
Species: C. biafrae

Synonyms:
*Crassocephalum rubens
*Senecio rubens
*Crassocephalum cernuum
*Senecio sonchifolius
*Cacalia uniflora

Common Names: Yoruba bologi

Habitat: Crassocephalum rubens is native to Southwestern Nigeria, but also as far away as Yemen, South Africa, and islands of the Indian Ocean. It grows on open disturbed land in lowlands and montane situations.

Description:
Crassocephalum rubens is an annual herb 20–150 cm tall, erect; stems green striate with purple, densely to sparsely pubescent or setulose. Leaves sessile, obovate, oblanceolate, elliptic or lanceolate, rarely ovate, unlobed or (especially the upper) lyrato-pinnately or pinnately 2–8-lobed, 1.2–20 cm long, 0.5–7.5 cm wide, cuneate or attenuate into an exauriculate petioloid base or (especially the upper) sessile, margins remotely sinuate-denticulate to coarsely sinuate-serrate, apex rounded to obtuse or acute, scattered-pubescent at least on veins beneath. Capitula 1–8, long-stalked, usually at first nodding then ± erect, but sometimes erect throughout, discoid; stalks of the individual capitula ± pubescent and purplish-tinged; involucre cylindrical, 8–13 mm long, 2.5–8 mm in diameter; bract of calyculus 5–23, purplish or dark green with purple tips, lanceolate or narrowly lanceolate, 3–6(–8) mm long, glabrous or ciliate; phyllaries 13–25, commonly 21 or 13, pale green to green, often tinged purple especially towards the apex and purple-tipped, 7.5–12 mm long, glabrous or sparsely shortly pubescent. Disc florets blue, purple or mauve, less often pink or red; corolla 6.2–10.5 mm long, tube glabrous, gradually expanded in upper third, lobes 0.4–1.5 mm long. Achenes 2–2.5 mm long, ribbed, hairy or shortly so in the grooves; pappus 7–12 mm long.

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Cultivation:
Succeeds in subtropical and tropical climates at low to moderate elevations. It is found in areas with an annual rainfall of 1,000 – 1,600 mm.
The plant grows best in a well-drained soil with a high organic matter content. Prefers sandy loams. The plant requires support and shade and is often grown among cocoa trees.Removal of the flowering shoots encourages leaf production. In northern Sierra Leone two varieties are recognized and the leaves of both are eaten.

Propagation: Threough Seed – Stem cuttings 20 – 25 cm long, obtained from mature shoots. The plant is described as being an annual which, if true, makes this a rather strange method of propagation.

Edible Uses:
The whole young plant and the semi-succulent leaves are mucilaginous and are used as a pot-herb eaten in soups and sauces. They are especially relished when cooked with groundnuts and tomatoes. In some areas the leaves are said to cause stinging in the mouth and to be not well-liked.

Medicinal Uses:
The leaves are slightly laxative. They are used in traditional medicine to treat a range of complaints. They are given to women after childbirth for their laxative effect; they are used as a treatment for ‘belly palava’ (stomach-ache); when eaten in quantity they are used to treat liver-complaints; they are used as an infusion against colds.

Applied externally, they are made into a poultices to treat burns. The leaf-sap is applied to sore eyes and is also instilled into the eye to remove filaria parasites. They are crushed in water and rubbed into the ear to treat earache.

A trace of alkaloid has been reported present in the leaves.The powdered root has been used prepared as a paste for external application to breast-cancer in Nigeria.

Other Uses : Like garlic, the whole plant has repellent properties to crocodiles.

Disclaimer : The information presented herein is intended for educational purposes only. Individual results may vary, and before using any supplement, it is always advisable to consult with your own health care provider.

Resources:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crassocephalum_rubens
http://tropical.theferns.info/viewtropical.php?id=Crassocephalum+rubens
https://plants.jstor.org/compilation/crassocephalum.rubens

Botanical Name: Cota tinctoria
Family: Asteraceae
Kingdom: Plantae
Order: Asterales
Genus: Cota
Species: C. tinctoria

Synonyms:
*Synonymy
*Anthemis tinctoria L. (basionym)
*Anacyclus tinctorius (L.) Samp.
*Anthemis brachyglossa K.Koch
*Anthemis chrysantha Schur
*Anthemis coarctata Sm.
*Anthemis debilis Fed.

Common Names: Golden marguerite, Yellow chamomile, or Oxeye chamomile.

Habitat: Cota tinctoria is native to Europe, the Mediterranean and Western Asia and naturalized in scattered locations in North America.

Description:
Cota tinctoria is an erect, clump-forming, evergreen perennial plant with stems that branch near the base and can become more or less woody. The plant grows around 60cm tall.
The plant is harvested from the wild for local use as a medicine and a dye. It was at one time often grown as a dye plant, though modern synthetic dyes have greatly reduced the use of this species. It is often grown as an ornamental, the plant is especially valued for its flowering display – there are several named varieties.
Human activity, especially the growing of cereals, has led to this plant being spread widely from its original range. As a weed of cereal fields, the seeds were often a contaminant of the grain and were sown where and when the grain was sown. Modern seed screening methods have greatly reduced the spread of this plant, though it has become established in many countries.

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Cultivation:
Cota tinctoria is a very hardy plant, tolerating winter temperatures down to about -15°c according in one report, or to about -25°c according to another. It dislikes hot, humid summers.

An easily grown plant, succeeding in a sunny position in most dry to medium soils so long as they are well-drained. It grows well on chalk, but does poorly and is short-lived when grown in heavy, clay soils. It is tolerant of drought and poor soils. Plants succeed in maritime gardens.

This species has formerly been cultivated as a dye plant, the var. ‘Kelawayi’ is said to be the best form.
Plants are often short-lived – they are apt to over-flower and exhaust themselves. It is best to remove the flowering stems as soon as they stop flowering in order to stimulate the production of basal shoots for the following year.

Propagation:
Seed – surface sow early spring in a greenhouse. Do not allow the soil to dry out. Light aids germination. The seed usually germinates in 2 weeks at 20°c. When they are large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and plant them out into their permanent positions in the summer.
Cuttings of soft wood early summer in a frame. Very easy.
Division in spring or autumn. Divide the plant every other year in order to maintain vigour.

Medicinal Uses:
The whole plant is antispasmodic, diaphoretic, emetic, emmenagogue and vesicant. It is used internally as a tea, which can be made either from the flowers or the whole plant.

Applied externally, it is used as a poultice on piles and can also be applied to the bath wate.The leaves are rubbed onto insect stings.

Other Uses: A distinctive yellow dye is obtained from the flowers.

Disclaimer : The information presented herein is intended for educational purposes only. Individual results may vary, and before using any supplement, it is always advisable to consult with your own health care provider.

Resources:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cota_tinctoria
http://temperate.theferns.info/plant/Cota+tinctoria

Botanical Name: Coriaria myrtifolia
Family: Coriariaceae
Kingdom: Plantae
Order: Cucurbitales
Genus: Coriaria
Species: C. myrtifolia

Synonyms:
*Coriaria hermaphrodita Turra
*Coriaria tinctoria Dulac

Common Names: Redoul, Myrtle-leaved sumach, Myrtle-leaved tanner’s tree, English redoul.

Habitat: Coriaria myrtifolia is native to Europe. It grows in the Mediterranean coastal Spain and Southern France (from the Gironde to the Alpes Maritimes), penetrating into Italy as far as part of the Apennines.It prefers to grow on dry woods, hedges and rocky places.

Description:
Coriaria myrtifolia is a deciduous Shrub growing to 1.8 m (6ft) with branches greyish square section. The leaves are sessile, mostly opposite but sometimes in groups of three or more, oblong, acuminate, with three ribs. The small greenish flowers, which appear from April to June in racemes, have five reddish highlights styles, five sepals and five petals, with ten stamens. The black fruits are formed of five fleshy carpels, each containing one seed.
The species is hermaphrodite (has both male and female organs).

The root nodules of this plant carry out symbiotic nitrogen fixation, Coriaria myrtifolia is one of the 13 Coriaria species known to bear actinorhizae.

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Cultivation:
Prefers a fairly good loamy soil in a sunny sheltered position. Succeeds in light shade[200]. Plants are hardy to about -5°c, succeeding outdoors in Britain from London and south-westwards. The stems are often cut back by winter cold but the plants usually resprout from the base. This new growth does not flower in its first year. The roots of plants in this genus bear nitrogen-fixing nodules[218]. Whilst much of the nitrogen will be utilized by the growing plant, some of it will become available for other plants growing nearby.

Propagation:
Seed – sow February/March in a greenhouse. The seed usually germinates in 1 – 3 months at 15°c. When they are large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and grow them on in the greenhouse for at least their first winter. Plant them out into their permanent positions in late spring or early summer, after the last expected frosts. Cuttings of half-ripe wood, 7cm with a heel, July/August in a frame. Fair percentage[

Uses:
Traditionally, leaves of redoul were intensively collected for their tannin content, for tanning and dyeing purposes. During the medieval period, ecclesiastical institutions and the aristocracy clearly sought to establish some royalties on this resource, the samples are being especially on the distribution and sale of material first. These uses are due to the wealth of Coriaria spp tannin, particularly concentrated in the root and the bark of the stem, but also present in leaves, where they coexist with yellow dyes from the chemical group of flavonoids. These tannins are part of the group of hydrolyzable tannins, such as gall tannins. The chemical composition of redoul thus makes a tanning substance, capable of transforming recently flayed animal skins into leather, which is rot resistant, flexible and relatively impermeable, known as Basil leather. These properties allow for its widespread use in many industries. Moreover, the well-known chemical reaction of tannins with iron salts, producing black precipitates, is the basis for the manufacture of some inks used since the Middle Ages, and is also used to dye a variety of textiles black or gray. Until the mid-fourteenth century, the material was the subject of extensive trade between the north of Catalonia and Languedoc. The M?ori used species of Coriaria from New Zealand: they produced traditional tattoo inks from the fruit juice, made musical instruments from the hollow stems, and despite its extreme toxicity ate the fruit sparingly due to its sweet taste; using it to sweeten drinking water or jellies made from seaweed.

Coriaria myrtifolia is also used as an ornamental plant,

Known Hazards: This plant is very poisonous, the poison having the same effect as alcoholic intoxication.

Resources:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coriaria_myrtifolia
https://pfaf.org/user/Plant.aspx?LatinName=Coriaria+myrtifolia

Botanical Name: Cnestis ferruginea
Family: Connaraceae
Kingdom:Plantae
Order: Oxalidales
Genus: Cnestis
Species: C. ferruginea

Habitat: The shrub Cnestis ferruginea is native to Africa. Western tropical Africa – Senegal to West Cameroons and in other parts of tropical Africa.

Description:
Cnestis ferruginea is a shrub or a tree growing to around 6 metres tall.It has simple, broad leaves. Individuals can grow to 6.5 m. Definition: A quality inhering in a plant by virtue of the bearer’s disposition to retain foliage.

The plant is a popular traditional medicine in Africa. With its scarlet fruits, it has value as an ornamental.

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Edible Uses: The stems are cut to yield a potable sap.

Mediciinal Uses:
The tart, astringent fruit is chewed for oral hygiene. Extracts from the fruit have been found to have antimicrobial effects, especially against gram-positive bacteria.

The leaves are abortifacient and laxative. A decoction is used to treat bronchitis and also in cases where a laxative is of benefit.

The leaf is rubbed onto the body in the treatment of eba (fever), whilst the whole the pulped plant is similarly used for treating all manner of pains, mange, asthenia and as a sedative in insanity.

The sap expressed from leafy twigs is taken by draught for treating fevers.
The leaf-sap is placed on the eyelids and instilled into the eyes in the treatment of eye-troubles.

The leaves, or the roots, are used for treating dysmenorrhoea.

The powdered bark is rubbed into gums in the treatment of pyorrhoea.
A paste of the root-bark is rubbed on the forehead for treating headaches and, with the addition of the ash of the burnt bark of Calpocalyx Aubrévillei (as a vegetable salt) is given as an appetite stimulant in cases of illness.

The roots are purgative. A decoction is taken by draught as an aphrodisiac, and by enema for gynaecological troubles, and for dysentery and urethral discharge.

The roots enter into remedies for treating skin-infections, often applied as an ointment, and examination has shown action against Sarcina lutea and Staphylococcus aureus, but no action against Gram -ve organisms, nor fungi.

The fruit pulp is taken as a tonic, and is used to treat bronchial affections, especially whooping-cough and tuberculosis. A medicine of this, and allied species, is given to weakly children to encourage them to walk.
The fruit pulp is rubbed on the skin and is used as a medicine for the throat. The juice is used as an eye-instillation for various eye-complaints, principally conjunctivitis. The juice is applied to wounds.
The fruit, together with the seeds, is ground up with alcohol or boiled in wine to produce a remedy for snake-bite.

Other Uses:
The bitter fruits are used to clean the teeth. The fruit contains a soft, juicy, somewhat bitter and acid pulp. This is widely used in many parts of Africa to rub on the teeth to clean and whiten them. It leaves a refreshing taste in the mouth.

The bark yields a red dye which is used for dyeing clothing.

The stems are used to make bows.

Known Hazards:
Although widely used as a medicine and tooth cleaner in many parts of Africa, the fruits are considered toxic in Senegal.

Disclaimer : The information presented herein is intended for educational purposes only. Individual results may vary, and before using any supplement, it is always advisable to consult with your own health care provider.

Resources:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cnestis_ferruginea
http://tropical.theferns.info/viewtropical.php?id=Cnestis+ferruginea