Acalypha volkensii
Pax
Dindi
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MBG
gbif· cc-by-nc-sa
MBG
gbif· cc-by
Meise Botanic Garden
Description
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.
Edible Uses
The leaves are eaten as a vegetable.
Distribution
It is a tropical plant.
Where It Grows
Africa, East Africa, Kenya, Mozambique, Uganda,
Notes
There are over 450 Acalypha species. They are tropical. There are 225 in tropical America.
References (4)
- Johns, T., and Kokwaro, J.O., 1991, Food Plants of the Luo of Siayo District, Kenya. Economic Botany 45(1), pp 103-113
- Kokwaro, J. O. and Johns. T., Luo Biological Dictionary. p 79
- Mutie, F. M., et al, 2023, Important Medicinal and Food Taxa (Orders and Families) in Kenya, Based on Three Quantitative Approaches. Plants 2023, 12, 1145
- World Checklist of Useful Plant Species 2020. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew
