Oxygonum salicifolium (PROTA)

Oxygonum salicifolium Dammer

Plant Resources of Tropical Africa Introduction

List of species

General importance
Geographic coverage Africa
Geographic coverage World
Vegetable
Food security

Protologue: Engl., Pflanzenw. Ost-Afrikas C: 171 (1895).

Family: Polygonaceae

Vernacular names

Bamba, kindiri (Sw)

Origin and geographic distribution

Oxygonum salicifolium is only found in Kenya and Tanzania.

Uses

In the coastal area of Kenya the leaves of Oxygonum salicifolium are used as a cooked vegetable, often mixed with Amaranthus or other vegetable species to improve the taste.

Botany

Creeping herb with ascending or prostrate woody branches bearing pubescent shoots up to 35 cm long. Leaves alternate, simple, sessile; ocrea cylindrical, up to 1 cm long, bearing at apex red hairs up to 9 mm long; blade linear-lanceolate, 3–7 cm × 2–10 mm, base narrowed, apex acute and often mucronate, margin not or slightly sinuous, midrib prominent below. Inflorescence a spike-like raceme, slender, 12–20 cm long. Flowers bisexual and male; bisexual flowers tubular with perianth tube accrescent around ovary and with perianth lobes withering; male flowers with a very short perianth tube and 4–5 petaloid tepals 4–6 mm long; stamens 8 in 2 series, 5 outer adnate to the tepals near their bases, 3 inner with a flattened basis forming a ring around the base of the style, filaments 4 mm long; styles 3, free or adnate at base, stigmas capitate. Fruit a pubescent nut c. 1 cm long, bearing subcentrally 3 prickles each 3–4 mm long.

Oxygonum comprises about 30 species and is confined to tropical Africa, South Africa and Madagascar.

Ecology

Oxygonum salicifolium grows in grassland and disturbed ground, from sea-level up to 1600 m altitude.

Management

Oxygonum salicifolium is only collected from the wild and is not cultivated.

Genetic resources

Although Oxygonum salicifolium is not widespread, it is common in disturbed habitats and not in danger of genetic erosion.

Prospects

Oxygonum salicifolium will only remain of minor and local importance as a vegetable.

Major references

• Graham, R.A., 1957. A revision of Oxygonum (Polygonaceae - Polygoneae). Kew Bulletin 12: 145–172.

• Maundu, P.M., Ngugi, G.W. & Kabuye, C.H.S., 1999. Traditional food plants of Kenya. Kenya Resource Centre for Indigenous Knowledge (KENRIK), Nairobi, Kenya. 270 pp.

Other references

• Graham, R.A., 1958. Polygonaceae. In: Turrill, W.B. & Milne-Redhead, E. (Editors). Flora of Tropical East Africa. Crown Agents for Oversea Governments and Administrations, London, United Kingdom. 40 pp.

Author(s)

• P.C.M. Jansen

PROTA Network Office Europe, Wageningen University, P.O. Box 341, 6700 AH Wageningen, Netherlands

Correct citation of this article

Jansen, P.C.M., 2004. Oxygonum salicifolium Dammer. [Internet] Record from PROTA4U. Grubben, G.J.H. & Denton, O.A. (Editors). PROTA (Plant Resources of Tropical Africa / Ressources végétales de l’Afrique tropicale), Wageningen, Netherlands. <http://www.prota4u.org/search.asp>.

Accessed 5 April 2025.

• See the Prota4U database.