Plectranthus esculentus
N. E. Br.
Kaffir potato, Hausa potato
iNaturalist· cc-by-nc
(c) Troos van der Merwe, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC)
iNaturalist· cc-by-nc
(c) Troos van der Merwe, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC)
iNaturalist· cc-by-nc
(c) Troos van der Merwe, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC)
Description
A herb or small shrub. It keeps growing from year to year. It grows 60 cm high. It can lie along the ground. It loses it leaves during the year. The leaves are fleshy and opposite. They are 5-8 cm long by 1-3 cm wide. They are narrowly oval. There are rounded teeth along the edge. The stems are angular. Some of the branches near the base bend down and grow into the ground to form long tubers. They grow from a central point like fingers on a hand. The tubers grow in clusters and are large. They can be 10 cm long and 2 cm wide. The flowers are yellow. They have a faint smell of tar.
Edible Uses
The tubers of Coleus esculentus are often used as a substitute for a potato or sweet potato. Directly after cultivation it can be boiled or roasted. The stems have been used to sweeten gruel (porridge). The leaves can be cooked in sauces as well. C. esculentus has been said to help with digestive problems also used to treat stomach ache and abdominal pain. It has also been used as anthelminthics.
Traditional Uses
The tubers are boiled and often added to other vegetables in soups. The tubers are washed then boiled in their skins. They can be dried and stored. They can also be pickled.
Medicinal Uses
The Livingstone potato is an aromatic herb that affects heart contractions and blood clotting. The plant also has cytotoxic and anti-tumour promoting activity and can be used in the treatment of cancer. A traditional treatment in India, the herb is used to treat a wide range of digestive problems including, wind, bloating and abdominal discomfort. It has an antispasmodic action, making it valuable in the treatment of respiratory complaints, including asthma and bronchitis. It is used as a remedy for headaches and is also said to be anthelmintic. Applied topically, the plant is used to treat skin conditions. The plant contains the substance forskolin. Research has shown that forskolin has various medical properties including: it lowers high blood pressure; it relaxes the smooth muscle; it increases the release of hormones from the thyroid gland, it stimulates digestive secretions; and it reduces pressure within the eye. It has been under scientific investigation as a possible treatment for congestive heart disease, glaucoma and chronic bronchial disease.
Distribution
A tropical plant. It grows naturally in southern tropical Africa. It grows in dry rocky and sandy soils. It grows between 600-1,900 m above sea level. It is hardy and needs frost free conditions. The best conditions for growth are 15-28°C. They need an annual rainfall of 700-1,100 mm. A soil pH of 6.5-7 is suitable. It can grow in arid places.
Where It Grows
Africa, Angola, Botswana, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Central Africa, Central African Republic, CAR, Chad, Congo, East Africa, Equatorial Guinea, Eswatini, Guinea, Guinée, Malawi, Mali, Mozambique, Namibia, Niger, Nigeria, Senegal, South Africa, Southern Africa, Sudan, Swaziland, Tanzania, Uganda, West Africa, Zambia, Zimbabwe,
Cultivation
Plants are normally grown from cuttings. It can be grown from tubers and small bulbils in the axils.
Propagation
Seed - not normally used for propagation. Cuttings about 10 - 20cm long. They can be difficult to root. Division of sprouting tubers. Bulbils. Produced in the leaf axils, these can be potted up and grown on until large enough to plant out.
Other Uses
The leaves have a strong camphoraceous aroma and are used as a body rub to cleanse and deodorize the skin.
Production
Tubers are harvested 180-200 days after planting. Yields of 2-6 tonnes per hectare have been recorded. A tuber can weigh 1.8 kg.
Other Information
It is a commercially cultivated vegetable. They are sold in local markets. It is a popular food. It is eaten in large amounts.
Notes
There are about 250 Plectranthus species. They are mainly in the tropics. It has good food value.
Nutrition
| Part | Moisture | kJ | kcal | Protein | Vit A | Vit C | Iron | Zinc |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tuber | 78 | 351 | 84 | 1.9 | — | — | 6.4 | — |
Synonyms
Also Known As
African potato, Batata gitamba, Buye, Daju, Dazo, Emahlo, Ennumbu, Ibonda, Isiqwili, Itapile, Livingstone potato, Makwele e sechuana Mhlata, Mumbu, Mutada, Plectranthus, Pomme de terre d'Afrique, Rizuka, Shezha, Tapole, Tensa, Tsenga, Tsenza, Ugiloa, Ulucanqu, Uluhlaza, Umhlata, Umhlati, Ushizane
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