Maerua triphylla (PROTA)

Plant Resources of Tropical Africa
Introduction


General importance
Geographic coverage Africa
Geographic coverage World
Fruit
Carbohydrate / starch
Dye / tannin
Medicinal
Forage / feed
Food security

Maerua triphylla A.Rich.

distribution in Africa (wild)

1, flowering branch; 2, fruit. Redrawn and adapted by J.M. de Vries

Protologue: Tent. Fl. Abyss.1: 32, t. 7 (1847).

Family: Capparaceae

Vernacular names

Small bead bean (En).
Msingizi, mukasi, mukayi, mkuturu, mlala-mbuzi (Sw)

Origin and geographic distribution

Maerua triphylla occurs from Ethiopia and Somalia south to Zimbabwe and Mozambique. It also occurs in Mayotte, Madagascar and the Seychelles. Besides tropical Africa it is also found in peninsular Arabia.

Uses

In East Africa a root infusion is drunk to cure dizziness and headache and it is also used as an aphrodisiac or to treat venereal diseases. A root infusion is drunk, fresh roots are chewed and the wound washed with it to treat snakebites. The Luo people of Kenya drink decoctions and infusions of leaves, bark and roots as a cure for stomach-ache and diarrhoea. Chewing a piece of stem helps to overcome a dry cough. The ash of burned leaves is taken as an antidote for poison. The Dorobo people of northern Kenya chew the leaves, mix them with ashes and use this mixture as a dressing for boils. Leaves are soaked in water and the water is applied as an eye lotion.

In Ethiopia the leaves are cooked and eaten during food-shortage. In Kenya during periods of famine the roots were carefully boiled to remove toxic substances and prepared as porridge. The leaves and fruits yield a yellow dye. The Maasai people consider the foliage a good fodder, especially for donkeys and goats. The wood is used for poles, tools, building and beehives. The branches are used for firewood, the trunk is used to produce charcoal. Maerua triphylla is planted especially in rocky sites for soil reclamation and is often spared when clearing land. Branches and roots of several Maerua species are used to clarify water, but this should be discouraged as the plants could be toxic. The flowers attract many bees and butterflies. The fruits are eaten.

Properties

The leaves contain 21.4% crude protein.

Description

Shrub or small tree up to 9 m tall, bole up to 25 cm in diameter; branches dense, long, pendulous, young branches brown, glabrous, with many lenticels. Leaves alternate, simple or 3-foliolate, median leaflet larger than lateral ones; stipules minute, linear, early falling; petiole 1–3 cm long; leaflets ovate, lanceolate, elliptical or obovate, 1.5–9 cm × 0.5–3.2 cm, apex rounded, usually mucronate, glabrous or pubescent, pinnately veined with 4–6(–8) secondary veins. Inflorescence a terminal leafy panicle or on short side branches. Flowers bisexual, regular; pedicel 1–2 cm long; sepals 4, oblong-obovate to elliptical, 5–9(–11) mm long, glabrous; petals 4, obovate to elliptical, creamy to white, soon falling; stamens 12–32; ovary on a gynophore up to 1.2 cm long, ovoid to elliptical, 1-celled. Fruit a cylindrical, elliptical to almost globose capsule up to 5(–10) cm long, slightly constricted between the seeds, pale creamy brown, surface warty, pubescent to glabrous, with few to many seeds embedded in slimy pulp, becoming thin and papery. Seeds irregularly kidney-shaped, 3–7 mm in diameter, brown, obscurely warted.

Other botanical information

Maerua comprises c. 50 species, most of these in the drier areas of tropical Africa but some extending as well to the Middle East and tropical Asia. Maerua triphylla is very variable and 4 varieties have been distinguished. However, in Kenya where all 4 varieties occur, it was found to be impossible to distinguish between the varieties as variation appeared to be continuous.

Several other lesser-known Maerua species have medicinal uses.

Maerua cafra

Maerua cafra (DC.) Pax (synonym: Maerua triphylla T.Durand & Schinz) is a shrub or small tree. It occurs in Zimbabwe and Mozambique where it is rare, and extends into South Africa down to the Cape. In South Africa a decoction of the roots is taken as a cure for menorrhagia and to cure female sterility. Uses reported from outside its area of distribution can be attributed to Maerua triphylla.

Maerua denhardtiorum

Maerua denhardtiorum Gilg is an evergreen shrub occurring in Somalia and the neighbouring area of Kenya. In Somalia a decoction of fresh leaves is used to wash the head as a cure for migraine. In case of headache, skin disease, eye and ear pain the fresh or dried whole plant is mixed with oil and used as an ointment. The leaves are used as an insect repellent. The ripe fruits are eaten.

Maerua endlichii

Maerua endlichii Gilg & Gilg-Ben. is a straggling shrub up to 4 m tall occurring in Kenya, Tanzania and Zambia. The Dorobo people of East Africa soak the root in warm water and take it as a purgative. They also boil the roots with goat bone soup and drink it as a cure when seriously ill. The Chamus people of Kenya use a decoction of the root bark similarly as a purgative and pregnant women drink it to turn an unborn child in the right position when it is wrongly placed. In Tanzania a root decoction is applied to cancerous sores. In Kenya cattle, goats and sheep feed on the foliage. A methanolic root extract showed moderate antiproliferative effects on several human cell lines in vitro.

Maerua kirkii

Maerua kirkii (Oliv.) F.White is a shrub or small tree up to 7 m tall occurring in eastern DR Congo, Uganda and Kenya southwards to Zambia, Zimbabwe and Mozambique. In Kenya the leaves are used as a wound dressing and a decoction of the leaves is drunk to cure a sore throat. In Tanzania a root decoction is drunk as a remedy for an upset stomach and asthma. The peeled and crushed roots are applied to painful limbs to give relief. Antibacterial activity of the roots against Staphylococcus aureus has been confirmed. The fruits are eaten.

Maerua parvifolia

Maerua parvifolia Pax occurs from Sudan southwards to Mozambique, Zimbabwe, Botswana, Namibia and South Africa. In Kenya a leaf maceration is gargled as a treatment for an inflamed throat. In Mozambique the roots are taken in decoction for purification, and the fruits are eaten as a cure for diarrhoea and stomach-ache.

Growth and development

In Tanzania the annual growth rate was found to be 1.8–2.3 mm in diameter and 10.6–14.8 cm in height. At the start of the rainy season Maerua triphylla flowers prominently in dry bushland. In southern Africa flowering takes place in October–January and fruits ripen from February till June.

Ecology

Maerua triphylla occurs in evergreen or deciduous woodland, wooded grassland, thickets, riverine forests and at the margins of dry forest, from sea-level up to 2100 m altitude. It sometimes grows on termite mounds.

Propagation and planting

Maerua triphylla is propagated by seedlings or root suckers. There are c. 14,000 seeds/kg. The seed is perishable and should be sown fresh. Germination is quick and 90% of the seeds germinate after c. 2 weeks.

Management

Maerua triphylla readily coppices when cut.

Diseases and pests

In the Seychelles the bark of the larger trees is sometimes eaten away by feral goats.

Genetic resources

Maerua triphylla is widespread and is thus not threatened by genetic erosion. There is however a risk that by local overexploitation part of the variation within the species may be lost.

Prospects

Surprisingly, research on phytochemistry and pharmacological properties of Maerua triphylla is lacking and is needed to confirm its medicinal properties and to allow its safe use. To understand the taxonomy of Maerua triphylla, its varieties and related species, ecological field studies as well as breeding and cytogenetic studies are needed.

Major references

Beentje, H.J., 1994. Kenya trees, shrubs and lianas. National Museums of Kenya, Nairobi, Kenya. 722 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.
Friedmann, F., 1994. Flore des Seychelles: Dicotylédones. Editions de l’ORSTOM, Paris, France. 663 pp.
Gemedo-Dalle, T., Maass, B.L. & Isselstein, J., 2005. Plant biodiversity and ethnobotany of Borana pastoralists in southern Oromia, Ethiopia. Economic Botany 59(1): 43–65.
Mbuya, L.P., Msanga, H.P., Ruffo, C.K., Birnie, A. & Tengnäs, B., 1994. Useful trees and shrubs for Tanzania: identification, propagation and management for agricultural and pastoral communities. Technical Handbook 6. Regional Soil Conservation Unit/SIDA, Nairobi, Kenya. 542 pp.
Neuwinger, H.D., 2000. African traditional medicine: a dictionary of plant use and applications. Medpharm Scientific, Stuttgart, Germany. 589 pp.
SEPASAL, 2012. Maerua triphylla A.Rich. var. pubescens (Klotzsch) DeWolf. [Internet] Survey of Economic Plants for Arid and Semi-Arid Lands (SEPASAL) database. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, Richmond, United Kingdom. http://apps.kew.org/sepasalweb/sepaweb. Accessed Juni 2012.

Other references

DeWolf, G.P., 1962. Notes on African Capparidaceae: III. Kew Bulletin 16(1): 75–83.
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.
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.
Hedberg, I., Hedberg, O., Madati, P.J., Mshigeni, K.E., Mshiu, E.N. & Samuelsson, G., 1982. Inventory of plants used in traditional medicine in Tanzania. I. Plants of the families Acanthaceae-Cucurbitaceae. Journal of Ethnopharmacology 6(1): 29–60.
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.
Ichikawa, M., 1987. A preliminary report on the ethnobotany of the Suiei Dorobo in northern Kenya. African Study Monographs, Supplement 7: 1–52.
Kamuhabwa, A., Nshimo, C. & de Witte, P., 2000. Cytotoxicity of some medicinal plant extracts used in Tanzanian traditional medicine. Journal of Ethnopharmacology 70: 143–149.
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.
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.
Medley, K.E. & Kalibo, H.W., 2007. Ethnobotanical survey of 'wild' woody plant resources at Mount Kasigau, Kenya. Journal of East African Natural History 96(2): 149–186.
Prins, H.H.T. & van der Jeugd, H.P., 1992. Growth rates of shrubs on different soils in Tanzania. African Journal of Ecology. 30(4): 309–315.
Ribeiro, A., Romeiras, M.M., Tavares, J. & Faria, M.T., 2010. Ethnobotanical survey in Canhane village, district of Massingir, Mozambique: medicinal plants and traditional knowledge. Journal of Ethnobiology and Ethnomedicine 6: 33.
Steenkamp, V., 2003. Traditional herbal remedies used by South African women for gynaecological complaints. Journal of Ethnopharmacology 86: 97–108.
Teketay, D., Senbeta, F., Maclachlan, M., Bekele, M. & Barklund, P., 2010. Edible wild plants in Ethiopia. Addis Ababa University Press, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. 575 pp.

Sources of illustration

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.

Author(s)

N.P. Mollel, Tropical Pesticides Research Institute, National Herbarium of Tanzania, P.O. Box 3024, Arusha, Tanzania

Correct citation of this article

Mollel, N.P., 2013. Maerua triphylla A.Rich. 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.