Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
Description —
The plant is a medium-size perennial herb, rarely exceeding 2 m high. It has
a ribbed stem, and the aerial parts have the strong characteristic odor of wormwood; it is much
branched and woody, shortly rhizomatous. The leaves are 6 cm long, gray-green, alternately
arranged, and oval in shape. It produces pale yellow tubular florets, with few outer female and
inner bisexual inflorescence occurring in an elongated racemose panicle. The capitula is small, the
receptacle is flat and naked. (achenes cylindrical, pappus absent). The African wormwood flowers
between March and July, and the seeds are produced from August to November.
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Habitat and Distribution —
According to the FAO report,
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Artemisia afra
is a clump-forming
perennial herb of the highland areas of eastern and southern Africa at an altitude between 1500
and 2500 (3000) m. The soils range from volcanic ash, loamy sands, to sandy or calcareous clay
loams of volcanic or granitic origin.
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The plant grows in the southern and eastern regions of the
continent. It has been located in Ethiopia, Kenya, Zimbabwe, Malawi, Angola, and the Republic of
South Africa.
Ethnomedicinal Uses —
A decoction of the leaves is used for the treatment of bronchial dis-
eases.
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It is a common ingredient for the preparation of remedies for cough, colds, dyspepsia, stom-
achache, gout, and constipation. In South Africa, a decoction of the leaves and lemongrass is used as
an antipyretic and for the treatment of malaria. A fermentation prepared with the heated herb is given
to children with a sore throat (Kokwaro). Other uses of the African wormwood include the treatment
of indigestion, as an anthelmintic, and as an anti-inflammatory agent. Externally, the plant is used in
the treatment of skin infections, as a hot bath in measles, and as a local application for hemorrhoids.
In Tanzania, a weak infusion of the leaves is administered for the treatment of colic.
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Constituents —
The plant yields a pleasant-smelling volatile oil, which contains cineole, thu-
jone, umbelliferone, and some polyacetylenes. Earlier reports indicated the probable presence of
ceryl cerotate, triacontane, scopoletin, and quebrachitol.
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Pharmacological Studies —
The volatile oil has been shown to be abortifacient when admin-
istered per os to rabbits. The extract is known to produce hemophagic nephritis, nonfatty degenera-
tion of the liver, and pulmonary edema.
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The Asian species,
A. annua,
has been shown to possess
significant activity against multidrug-resistant malaria.
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ASPALATHUS LINEARIS
—
rOOIBOS
Botanical Name —
Aspalathus linearis
(Burm. f.) R. Dahlgren
Synonyms —
Aspalathus tenuifolia
DC., Prodr.;
Aspalathus contaminatum
Druce;
Aspalathus
corymbosa
C.A. Mey.;
Lebeckia linearis
(Burm. f.) DC.;
Psoralea linearis
Burm. f.
Family —
Leguminosae
Common Names —
Rooibos, rotbush, aspalathus,
Herba Aspalathi
, bush tea, bushman, moun-
tain tea, red bush, red bush tea, rooibos tea
African Names —
Afrikaans: rooibos; South Africa: koopmanstee, naaldtee rooibostee
Description —
Aspalathus linearis
has been described as an erect to spreading, highly variable
shrub or shrublet up to 2 m high. Its young branches are often reddish. The leaves are green and
needle-like, 15-60 mm long and up to about 1 mm thick. They are without stalks and stipules and
may be densely clustered. The yellow flowers, which appear in spring to early summer, are solitary
or arranged in dense groups at the tips of branches. The fruit is a small, lance-shaped pod, usually
containing one or two hard seeds.
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Habitat and Distribution —
Rooibos is native to South Africa, where it appears to be restricted
only in the Cedarberg area and around the villages of Clanwilliam and Citrusdal, which are situated
to the north of Cape Town in South Africa. Apparently, rooibos needs a very specific climate and
soil to grow and elaborate its characteristic compounds as efforts to cultivate rooibos in other areas
or countries with similar climates have not been very successful.
