Cleome hirta
(Klotzsch) Oliv.
Pretty lady, Spider flower, Sticky purple cleome
(c) i_c_riddell, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by i_c_riddell
(c) Tony Benn, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC)
(c) Christine Sydes, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by Christine Sydes
What to Eat
Edible parts: Leaves, Seeds, Vegetable
The leaves are eaten cooked, typically collected, wilted, chopped, and boiled in combination with other vegetables. The seeds are also edible.
Where to Find It
A tropical plant. It grows in the lowlands. It grows in the grassy savannah and swamps in West Africa. It is in lower rainfall areas. It grows in areas with a rainfall between 150-750 mm per year. It grows from sea level to 1,800 m above sea level. It needs well-drained soils. It can grow in arid places.
Africa, Angola, Botswana, Central Africa, Congo, East Africa, Eswatini, Ethiopia, Kenya, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, Rwanda, Somalia, South Africa, Southern Africa, Swaziland, Tanzania, Uganda, West Africa, Zambia, Zimbabwe,
How to Identify
A small herb. It grows 1 m high. The branches have lines along them. They are hairy. The leaves have 5-9 small leaflets. It is sticky to the touch. The leaflets are 1-5 cm long by 0.1-0.5 cm wide. They are narrow and sword shaped. They are wedge shaped at the base. The flower are at the top. The petals are pink or purple. The fruit is a capsule 16 cm long by 0.4 cm wide. The seeds are about 2 mm across.
How to Grow
It can be grown from seeds.
Medicinal Uses
The leaves are eaten to reduce hypertension. The roots and leaves are boiled and used as a medicine for measles.
Production
The young shoots are collected during the early rains.
Other Information
It is a minor vegetable. It is of moderate palatability.
Notes
There are about 150 Cleome species. It has also been put in the family Capparaceae and Brassicaceae.
Names & Synonyms
Akayobyo akasajja, Bastard mustard, Cetandambudo, Kabangaseshe, Kabangasheshe, Kakunguni, Kekeneka, Malomaarotho, Mhilile, Mhilili, Musambe, Natserume, Nyausako, Nyiragasogereza, Sau
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