85. Cannabis sativa L. (Caiinab.) Hemp, Bhang, Dagga, Ganja. 

 Mbangi (Nk), camba (N). 



An aromatic annual herb, native of Asia, leaves alternate or the lower opposite, 

 palmately divided into narrow spreading leaflets, flowers small greenish -yellow, in 

 axillary cymes, many flowered in the male, few flowered in the female. It is suggested 

 that the plant was imported by Indians in early or even pre -Portuguese times to the 

 Zambezi Valley and is now grown in many parts of Nyasaland. 



A valuable fibre, hemp. The young leaves and flowers are smoked as a narcotic 

 in manj^ countries under the name of bhang or ganja. The dried leaves are smoked 

 in parts of this country and S. A. under the name of dagga. 



Ref. 8; 27. 



86. Canthium crassum (Schweinf.) Hiern (Rubiac). 



Mnonga (N, Y), mkangandembo (Y), mvilo (C), mfilu (Nk), mbilima, macende a kalulu 

 (N), mvingomba (He, To). 



Shrub or small tree with opposite large, somewhat leathery leaves which turn 

 black as they dry, flowers yellow-green in axillary cymes, fruits fleshy about 1 in. 

 or more in diameter 2 -seeded. Growing scattered in Brachystegia woodland. 



The fruits are sweet, ripen in December and are eaten by old and young alike. 

 The roots have medicinal uses and an infusion of the leaves is sprinkled over women's 

 bodies at the time of labour. 



Ref. 1 ; 26. 



87. Canthium sp. possibly C. huillense Hiern (Rubiac). 

 Cisunkunthu (C). 



A small tree. 



The leaves are cooked with the help of potashes to form a slimy product, thelele, 

 pounded groundnuts are added. The leaves are used when they are very young in 

 September and November and are fairly well liked by old people but only eaten for 

 lack of other leaves (Kasungu). The wood of the tree is burnt and the ash, cidulo, 

 used for cooking purposes. 



88. Capsicum annuum L. and C. frutescens L. (Solan.) Chillies and peppers. 

 Tsobola (N), sabola (Y), mpiripiri (N). 



Herbs and small shrubs natives of Central and South America now naturalized 

 in tropical Africa, mostly pereimial producing fruits of varying size and shape, of an 

 intense scarlet colour when ripe. Many of them are extremely acrid and " biting " 

 to the palate and are used for flavouring purposes. There are several varieties of 

 the " hot " kind C. frutescens in this country and they are especially common at 

 lake levels. Cayenne pepper is the pulverized rind of C. annuum. 



" Hot " kinds, G. frutescens. They are cooked with the side-dish, e.g., with 

 leaves, meat and in particular with fish. It is the privilege of the guest to say whether 

 or not chillies shall be added to the dish. They are eaten raw with a side-dish by 

 adults. This is often the case when children are to share the cooked dish. They 

 are rubbed when still green on to fish before it is cooked. They are dried, powdered 

 and cooked with the side-dish. They are added in the making of chutney, sumo, 

 see Lycopersicum esculentum, tomato. Where and when other side-dishes are very 

 scarce, the leaves are cooked for this purpose 



Sweet chillies or peppers, C. annuum var. grossum. These are not grown as far as 

 is known by Africans in this country. They grow easily from seeds although germina- 

 tion is slow in the cold weather. They do particularly well at low levels. The 

 fruits are up to 6 ins. long and turn bright scarlet as they ripen while at the same 



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