Erucastrum arabicum
Fisch. & C. A. Mey
Ethiopian kale
(c) Riana Fourie, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by Riana Fourie
(c) Riana Fourie, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by Riana Fourie
(c) Riana Fourie, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by Riana Fourie
What to Eat
Edible parts: Leaves, Vegetable
The young leaves and stalks are cooked; roots are removed and the remaining leaves and stalks are boiled for an hour. The leaves are used in soups.
Known Hazards
Where to Find It
It is a tropical plant. In Ethiopia it grows in the highlands. In Kenya it grows from sea level to 2,500 m altitude. It grows in areas with an annual rainfall between 1,100-1,900 mm. It can grow in arid places.
Africa, Arabia, Asia, Botswana, Burundi, Central Africa, Congo DR, Djibouti, East Africa, Egypt, Ethiopia, India, Kenya, Middle East, Namibia, North Africa, Oman, Rwanda, Saudi Arabia, Somalia, Southern Africa, South Sudan, Sudan, Tanzania, Uganda, United Arab Emirates, UAE, Yemen, Zimbabwe,
How to Identify
An annual creeping herb. It lies along the ground. It grows each year from seeds. It grows 1 m high. The leaves are in a ring and are grey-green. They are slightly hairy. The leaves are divided and 18 cm long by 5 cm wide. The large lobe at the end is rounded. The flowers are yellow. They are on long slender shoots. The fruit is a long slender capsule. It can be 5 cm long. The seeds are brown.
Nutrition Score: 31/100
| Part | Moisture | kJ | kcal | Protein | Vit A | Vit C | Iron | Zinc |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Leaves | 84 | 200 | 4 | — | 500 | 120 | 1.5 | 0.6 |
How to Grow
An introduced weed in cultivated land in many parts of the world.
Medicinal Uses
Traditional use reports that consumption can cause the skin to become dry and produce sleepiness.
Other Uses
The seed contains around 35% oil. It is possibly used for lighting purposes.
Production
Young leaves can be harvested at regular intervals.
Other Information
A famine food. It is of local importance in times of famine.
Notes
The seeds contain about 35% oil.
Names & Synonyms
Cheplemindet, Enyaro, Eshaaga, Eshaga, Gomanza, Itogotia, Moyowarwa, Nechelo, Njunge, Nonion, Oburobwenaku, Shimpa, Togotia, Yewof-gomen
References (22)
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- Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew (1999). Survey of Economic Plants for Arid and Semi-Arid Lands (SEPASAL) database. Published on the Internet; http://www.rbgkew.org.uk/ceb/sepasal/internet [Accessed 15th April 2011]
- Terashima, H., et al, 1991, Ethnobotany of the Lega in the tropical rainforest of eastern Zaire: part 1, Zone de Mwenga. African Study Monographs. Suppl. 15:1-61
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- World Checklist of Useful Plant Species 2020. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew
