Capparis fascicularis (PROTA)

Plant Resources of Tropical Africa Introduction

List of species

General importance
Geographic coverage Africa
Geographic coverage World
Fruit
Vegetable
Medicinal
Timber
Fuel
Forage / feed
Fibre
Food security
Climate change

Capparis fascicularis DC.

distribution in Africa (wild)

Protologue: Prodr. 1: 248 (1824).

Family: Capparaceae

Chromosome number: 40

Synonyms

• Capparis rothii Oliv. (1868),
• Capparis elaeagnoides Gilg (1903).

Vernacular names

• Zigzag caper-bush (En).

Origin and geographic distribution

Capparis fascicularis is widespread, from Senegal and Gambia eastward to Eritrea and Ethiopia, and southward to eastern South Africa and Swaziland.

Uses

In East Africa ground roots are applied as anodyne and to treat ulcers, and they are added to soup to treat colds, stomach-ache and gonorrhoea. In Ethiopia roots are chewed against toothache. The Luo people in Kenya and Tanzania apply root decoctions to treat gastrointestinal complaints, diarrhoea and inflamed gums in children, and as vermifuge. In Uganda sleeping sickness is treated by administration of a cold water infusion of the roots.

The fruits are occasionally eaten fresh by children, although they have been reported to be poisonous; they are sometimes eaten after boiling and have been used in pickles and chutneys. In Nigeria the leaves have reportedly been used as vegetable. The foliage is sometimes eaten by goats, sheep, camels and donkeys, but adverse effects such as staggering have been reported. The wood is occasionally used for poles and roof laths in house construction, for fences and as firewood.

Production and international trade

In the 1950s, the fruits of Capparis fascicularis have been traded on a small scale from Tanzania to Indian people in East African countries for use in the production of pickles and chutneys.

Properties

Tests in Uganda did not show any in-vitro antitrypanosomal activity of root extracts. The crude protein content of leaves is high throughout the year.

Description

Evergreen, strongly branched, spiny shrub up to 5(–7) m tall, often with scandent stems up to 10 m long; bark surface scaly, dark grey; twigs hairy, green. Leaves arranged spirally, simple and entire; stipules developing into paired recurved spines up to 4 mm long; petiole up to 0.5 cm long; blade elliptical to oblong-ovate or obovate, 2–6 cm × 1–2(–3) cm, cuneate to obtuse or rounded at base, obtuse to rounded or notched at apex, thin-leathery, hairy but often becoming glabrous, pinnately veined with 3–5(–12) pairs of lateral veins. Inflorescence an axillary fascicle, short-hairy, few- to many-flowered, sometimes flowers solitary in leaf axils. Flowers bisexual, nearly regular, 4-merous; pedicel 0.5–1.5(–3) cm long; sepals free, slightly concave, 3–5 mm long, nearly equal, hairy; petals free, oblanceolate, nearly equal, 0.5–1 cm long, white to pinkish white; stamens 5–22, free, 0.5–1 cm long, whitish; ovary superior, long-stalked, ovoid to ellipsoid, glabrous, 1-celled, stigma small, sessile. Fruit a distinctly stalked, nearly globose berry 1.5–2(–3) cm in diameter, with 4–8 indistinct longitudinal veins, orange-red to brownish red, with slimy, orange to reddish pulp, many-seeded. Seeds ovoid to kidney-shaped, 0.5–1 cm long, slightly compressed, dark brown.

Other botanical information

Capparis has been considered to comprise approximately 250 species and to occur in all tropical and subtropical regions. However, the genus was found to be polyphyletic, and most species from tropical America have been transferred to separate genera. About 12 species are found in mainland tropical Africa.

Capparis fascicularis is variable and 3 varieties have been distinguished.

Growth and development

In West Africa Capparis fascicularis flowers at the end of the rainy season or at the beginning of the dry season, in Cameroon in the dry season from December to February. Fruits ripen about 4 months after flowering. Monkeys have been reported to eat the fruits and elephants the leafy twigs.

Ecology

Capparis fascicularis occurs in deciduous bushland and wooded savanna, often on termite mounds, in East Africa up to 2100 m altitude.

Propagation and planting

Capparis fascicularis is mainly propagated by seed.

Diseases and pests

Larvae of the butterflies Belenois creona and Eronia cleodora feed on the leaves.

Genetic resources

Capparis fascicularis is widespread, locally common and occurs in various habitats. Therefore it is not threatened by genetic erosion.

Prospects

The various applications of Capparis fascicularis roots in traditional medicine have not been investigated except the antitrypanosomal activity, which appeared to be lacking. In view of the common use to treat pain, ulcers and gastrointestinal complaints, the anodyne and antimicrobial activities warrant research. Because of the reports on the toxicity of various plant parts, studies of the phytochemistry are needed before methods for safe usage as medicine, forage and food plant can be recommended.

Major references

• Arbonnier, M., 2004. Trees, shrubs and lianas of West African dry zones. CIRAD, Margraf Publishers Gmbh, MNHN, Paris, France. 573 pp.
• Freiburghaus, F., Ogwal, E.N., Nkunya, M.H.H., Kaminsky, R. & Brun, R., 1996. In vitro antitrypanosomal activity of African plants used in traditional medicine in Uganda to treat sleeping sickness. Tropical Medecine and International Health 1(6): 765–771.
• Geissler, P.W., Harris, S.A., Prince, R.J., Olsen, A., Achieng’ Odhiambo, R., Oketch-Rabah, H., Madiega, P.A., Andersen, A. & Mølgaard, P., 2002. Medicinal plants used by Luo mothers and children in Bondo district, Kenya. Journal of Ethnopharmacology 83: 39–54.
• Heine, B. & Heine, I., 1988. Plant concepts and plant use; an ethnobotanical survey of the semi-arid and arid lands of East Africa. Part 1. Plants of the Chamus (Kenya). Cologne Development Studies 6. Breitenbach, Saarbrücken, Germany. 103 pp.
• Maundu, P., Berger, D., Saitabau, C., Nasieku, J., Kipelian, M., Mathenge, S., Morimoto, Y. & Höft, R., 2001. Ethnobotany of the Loita Maasai. Towards community management of the forest of the Lost Child. Experiences from the Loita Ethnobotany Project. UNESCO People and Plants Working Paper 8, Paris, France. 34 pp.

Other references

• Burkill, H.M., 1985. The useful plants of West Tropical Africa. 2nd Edition. Volume 1, Families A–D. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, Richmond, United Kingdom. 960 pp.
• Elffers, J., Graham, R.A. & Dewolf, G.P., 1964. Capparidaceae. In: Hubbard, C.E. & Milne-Redhead, E. (Editors). Flora of Tropical East Africa. Crown Agents for Oversea Governments and Administrations, London, United Kingdom. 88 pp.
• Hauman, L. & Wilczek, R., 1951. Capparidaceae. In: Robyns, W., Staner, P., Demaret, F., Germain, R., Gilbert, G., Hauman, L., Homès, M., Jurion, F., Lebrun, J., Vanden Abeele, M. & Boutique, R. (Editors). Flore du Congo belge et du Ruanda-Urundi. Spermatophytes. Volume 2. Institut National pour l’Étude Agronomique du Congo belge, Brussels, Belgium. pp. 454–521.
• Heine, B. & Heine, I., 1988. Plant concepts and plant use; an ethnobotanical survey of the semi-arid and arid lands of East Africa. Part 3. Rendille plants (Kenya). Cologne Development Studies 8. Breitenbach, Saarbrücken, Germany. 120 pp.
• Johns, T., Faubert, G.M., Kokwaro, J.O., Mahunnah, R.L.A. & Kimanani, E.K., 1995. Anti-giardial activity of gastrointestinal remedies of the Luo of East Africa. Journal of Ethnopharmacology 46: 17–23.
• Kers, L.E., 1986. Capparidaceae. Flore du Cameroun. Volume 29. Muséum National d’Histoire Naturelle, Paris, France. 141 pp.
• Kers, L.E., 2000. Capparidaceae. In: Edwards, S., Mesfin Tadesse, Demissew Sebsebe & Hedberg, I. (Editors). Flora of Ethiopia and Eritrea. Volume 2, part 1. Magnoliaceae to Flacourtiaceae. The National Herbarium, Addis Ababa University, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia and Department of Systematic Botany, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden. pp. 74–120.
• Neuwinger, H.D., 2000. African traditional medicine: a dictionary of plant use and applications. Medpharm Scientific, Stuttgart, Germany. 589 pp.
• Vivien, J. & Faure, J.J., 1996. Fruitiers sauvages d’Afrique: espèces du Cameroun. Ministère Français de la Coopération, Paris, France & CTA, Wageningen, Netherlands. 416 pp.
• Wondimu, T., Asfaw, Z. & Kelbessa, E., 2007. Ethnobotanical study of medicinal plants around ‘Dheeraa’ town, Arsi Zone, Ethiopia. Journal of Ethnopharmacology 112: 152–161.

Author(s)

• R.H.M.J. Lemmens, PROTA Network Office Europe, Wageningen University, P.O. Box 341, 6700 AH Wageningen, Netherlands

Correct citation of this article

Lemmens, R.H.M.J., 2013. Capparis fascicularis DC. In: Schmelzer, G.H. & Gurib-Fakim, A. (Editors). Prota 11(2): Medicinal plants/Plantes médicinales 2. PROTA, Wageningen, Netherlands. Accessed 6 March 2025.

• See this page on the Prota4U database.