Rhamnus prinoides

Description

A shrub. It can scramble. It can also be a small tree. It can grow to 7-15 m high. The bark is brown. The leaves are alternate and simple. They are oblong and 3-10 cm long by 1.5-4 cm wide. They are very glossy dark green above and dull green below. The edges are finely toothed. The flowers are small and green. They are on slender stalks. They occur in sparse clusters in the axils of leaves. There are 2-10 flowers in a group. The fruit is berry-like. It is oval and 5 mm across. The fruit are red. They are edible.

Edible Uses

The Rhamnus prinoides plant has many uses amongst the inhabitants of Africa. All parts of the plant are harvested and used for nutrition, medicine or religious purposes. In Ethiopia and Eritrea, where the plant is known as gesho or gešo, it is used in a manner similar to hops. The stems are boiled and the extract mixed with honey to ferment a mead called tej in Amharic and myes in Tigrinya. It is also used in the brewing of tella (siwa in Tigrinya), an Ethiopian and Eritrean beer. This local drink is made from gesho as a major ingredient. Gesho leaves are sundried and pounded with mortar and pestle into flour. Barley malt is prepared and sundried and ground. These two ingredients are mixed, in a proportion that varies from maker to maker, and fermented 3 to 5 days on average. Finger millet (or sorghum and maize flour regionally) are baked, and finally mixed with the fermented solution. After 1–2 days of fermentation, the tella can be filtered and consumed in a drink locally called guesh (tsiray in Tigrinya). In Central Kenya the plant is known as "Mûkarakinga" and it is believed to be medicinal. The bark of the plant is cut, boiled and then added to soup.

Traditional Uses

The fruit are eaten raw. The dried leaves are used to flavour drinks. The stems are used as a substitute for hops in beer making. The roots and stems are used in tonic soups.

Medicinal Uses

A decoction of the root is taken as a blood purifier, to treat pneumonia, gonorrhoea rheumatism and stomach-ache and as a gargle. A leaf decoction may be mixed with the bark of Erythrina abyssinica to alleviate colic. The leaves are applied as a liniment to simple sprains.

Known Hazards

Species in this genus contain hydroxyanthracene derivatives which have a stimulant laxative effect upon the body, and many species are used traditionally as laxatives. In small doses, and for short periods, these can be safe and effective, but used over long periods they can weaken the body's natural ability to defecate and can have a range of long-lasting negative effects upon the body, including anaemia, malabsorption, haematuria and weight loss. Large single doses can cause severe purging.

Distribution

A tropical plant. It grows at medium and high altitudes in South Africa. It is often near rivers and on the edges of evergeen forest. Plants are hardy. In Zimbabwe it grows between 1,340-2,270 m above sea level. Mt Lofty Botanical Gardens. It suits hardiness zones 9-11.

Where It Grows

Africa, Angola, Australia, Botswana, Cameroon, Central Africa, Congo, East Africa, Eritrea, Eswatini, Ethiopia, Kenya, Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, Rwanda, South Africa, Southern Africa, Sudan, Swaziland, Tanzania, Uganda, West Africa, Zambia, Zimbabwe,

Cultivation

Plants are grown from seeds. Seeds are collected fresh from fruit off a tree and the flesh removed. Seed germinate easily. They germinate in 6-8 weeks.

Propagation

Seed - germinates readily when sown fresh. Most of the seeds germinate, taking from 2 - 6 weeks, with some still germinating after 8 weeks. Germination rate is usually 80 - 90%.

Other Uses

All the species of Rhamnus contain a mixture of compounds (mainly rhamnetin, quercitin and rhamnazin) that make a range of good quality dyes. The colour and its intensity depend upon what part of the plant is used as dyeing material (leaves, fruits and bark are most commonly used), at what period of growth it is collected and in what state it is used. With the use of the corresponding mordants (alum, copper and iron vitriols, tin dioxide, chromium, etc.) it is possible to obtain virtually the entire spectrum of colours from lemon-yellow to purple and dark cinnamon-brown, from olive-green to intensive blue and violet. The dye extracts obtained from the bark, leaves and fruits are suitable for dyeing cottons, silks, woollens, leather, paper and wood. These dyes are often exceptional for their fastness. Although we have seen no specific information for this species, the seeds of Rhamnus species are generally rich in fatty oil and several of them are extracted for use as lubricating oils etc. The wood is white to yellow, often streaked with brown, pink, red or green. It is moderately heavy and hard, close-grained and compact. Because of the small size of the timber, it is usually only used to make small articles. The wood is used for fuel. The tree casts a dense shade, often preventing the growth of other plants around it. It also responds well to trimming and can be shaped into a dense shrub. It is used for erosion control, growing well on the banks of streams; to provide shelter; as a low wind break; and as a living fence and hedge. The flowers are a good source of nectar for bees.

Production

Trees grow quickly. Trees are harvested 3 times a year by stripping off the leaves, except the growing tips. Harvesting is started when trees are 3 years old. Trees can continue to be harvested for 50 years. A fruit weighs about 0.3 g.

Other Information

Leaves are sold in local markets. It is cultivated.

Notes

There are over 100 Rhamnus species.

Nutrition

Synonyms

Also Known As

Buckthorn, Dogwood, Geesho, Geisho, Geshe, Gesho, Geshoo, Inyenye, Mofifi buckthorn, Musvosvadziva, Sineyi, Woody hops, Xaddo

References (37)

• Bekele-Tesemma A., Birnie, A., & Tengnas, B., 1993, Useful Trees and Shrubs for Ethiopia. Regional Soil Conservation Unit. Technical Handbook No 5. p 380
• Burkill, H. M., 1985, The useful plants of west tropical Africa, Vol. 4. Kew.
• Bussman, R. W., et al, 2011, Plant Use in Odo-Bulu and Demaro, Bale region, Ethiopia. Journal of Ethnobiology and Ethnomedicine. 2011, 7:28
• Cundall, P., (ed.), 2004, Gardening Australia: flora: the gardener's bible. ABC Books. p 1139
• Facciola, S., 1998, Cornucopia 2: a Source Book of Edible Plants. Kampong Publications, p 191

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