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<big>''[[Ficus glumosa]]'' Delile</big>
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{{DISPLAYTITLE:''Ficus glumosa'' (PROTA)}}
:Protologue: Cent. pl. Voy. Méroé: 63 (1826).
== Synonyms ==
*''Ficus sonderi'' Miq. (1867).
== Vernacular names ==
*African rock fig, mountain fig (En). *Mkuyu (Sw).
== Origin and geographic distribution ==
== Uses ==
The bark, rich in tannin, is used in central, eastern and southern Africa for tanning hides. In Kaokoland in Namibia it is said to be the most important tanning agent for leather, giving it a red colour favoured by the Himba people. The bark is also a source of a brick-red dye, popular in Mali (‘bogolan’ dyeing process), Sierra Leone (Koranko people) and Ghana for dyeing cloth and raffia. In some areas, e.g. Sudan, cloth is made from the bark. The bark also contains abundant sticky white latex which is used in Ghana like bird-lime to trap crickets. In Uganda it is chewed as chewing-gum and in West Africa the Tenda people use the latex for fastening arrowheads to their shaft. Young leaves are eaten as a vegetable (e.g. in soup in Ghana) and are browsed by cattle. The fruit is edible when fully ripe and said to be the most flavoursome of the wild figs in Senegal. The wood is light and used for firewood and charcoal. Sometimes trees are planted as a live fence or as windbreak. Medicinal uses are numerous. In Côte d’Ivoire latex is applied to alleviate pain from sprains and latex diluted in water is used in the Central African Republic to treat diarrhoea. In Zimbabwe latex is dropped into the eyes against sore eyes. Powdered bark, mixed with latex, is used in Nigeria to plug carious teeth and in the Central African Republic a decoction of the bark is used as a mouthwash against toothache. A bark macerate is applied on the eyes of new born babies in Senegal (Casamanca) to prevent conjunctivitis. Tenda people apply pounded bark topically against headache. In East Africa pounded bark, soaked in water, is drunk against stomach disorders. In Tanzania a decoction of pounded bark is used to wash sores daily until recovery. In Senegal and Côte d’Ivoire the roots and fruits are used in preparations to cure female sterility. == Properties ==
Medicinal uses are numerous. In Côte d’Ivoire latex is applied to alleviate pain from sprains and latex diluted in water is used in the Central African Republic to treat diarrhoea. In Zimbabwe latex is dropped into the eyes against sore eyes. Powdered bark, mixed with latex, is used in Nigeria to plug carious teeth and in the Central African Republic a decoction of the bark is used as a mouthwash against toothache. A bark macerate is applied on the eyes of new born babies in Senegal (Casamanca) to prevent conjunctivitis. Tenda people apply pounded bark topically against headache. In East Africa pounded bark, soaked in water, is drunk against stomach disorders. In Tanzania a decoction of pounded bark is used to wash sores daily until recovery. In Senegal and Côte d’Ivoire the roots and fruits are used in preparations to cure female sterility.
== Description ==
== 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 ==
[[fr:{{PAGENAME}}]]
[[Category:PROTA prov]]
[[Category:Dyes and tannins (PROTA)]]