View source for Capparis tomentosa (Bekele-Tesemma, 2007)

{{DISPLAYTITLE:''Capparis tomentosa'' (Bekele-Tesemma, 2007)}}
{{Turningpage
|title=[[Bekele-Tesemma, Useful trees and shrubs for Ethiopia, 2007|Bekele-Tesemma, ''Useful trees and shrubs for Ethiopia'', 2007]]
|titlepreviouspage=Calotropis procera (Bekele-Tesemma, 2007)
|previousshortname=''Calotropis procera''
|titlefollowingpage=Carissa spinarum (Bekele-Tesemma, 2007)
|followingshortname=''Carissa spinarum''
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''[[Capparis tomentosa]]'' Capparidaceae Indigenous

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== Common names ==
*Amargna: Gumero
*Oromugna: Gumero, Harangama

== Ecology ==
Widespread in tropical Africa from senegal through the Sahel to Eritrea and East Africa to South Africa and the Mascarene Islands. In Ethiopia, it is a shrub occurring in semi-arid and humid lowland, highland woodlands, wooded grassland, forest edges and scrub in Dry and Moist Kolla and Weyna Dega agroclimatic zones in nearly all regions, 500–2,300 m.

== Uses ==
Firewood, medicine (roots, leaves, bark), live fence, fencing material (cut branches). 

== Description ==
A thorny shrub to 3 m or a climber reaching 10 m. Thorns small, curved back, in pairs beside leaves.
*LEAVES: Long and oval to 3–9 cm, grey-green, thick and leathery, on a short stalk, may be hairy below, slightly pink.
*FLOWERS: To 5 cm across with very many white stamens, 4 small white petals, 4 sepals. The ovary is on a stalk. Flowers are usually in groups.
*FRUIT: Hang down on long stalks to 5 cm, rounded 1–5 cm across, shiny orange-red, drying black, persisting on the bush.

== Propagation ==
Seedlings, cuttings.

== Seed ==
*Treatment: Not necessary.
*Storage: Stores well.

== Management ==
Lopping. Layering for fencing.

== Remarks ==
May become a serious weed unless controlled. Roots can be very poisonous. In Ethiopia, they are mixed with garlic and roots of ''Justicia schimperiana'' (= ''Adhatoda schimperiana'') to form a juice that is believed to ward off the evil eye. 

[[Category:Bekele-Tesemma (2007)]]