The fruits are edible, they are sweet and juicy but leave the mouth rough as do 

 Ref. 14; 26. 



391. Rhynchosia sublobata (Schumach.) Meikle (Papil.) (Syn. R. caribaea non 

 (Jacq.) DC.) Auct. 



Mhutoyacule (C). 



Stems suberect from a woody rootstock or twining, grey, pubescent with axillary 

 racemes of yellow-red, streaked flowers. 



An infusion of the roots is drunk by boys and girls at the time of puberty. 



392. Rhus natalensis Bernh. ex Krauss. (Anacard,). 



Mtatu (Tu), mapirankukute (C) (Meaning millet-to-be-chewed from its resemblance 

 to Sorghum sp., mapira), mpilakukuru (Y). 



A much-branched shrub up to 20 ft. tall, leaves 3-foliate somewhat leathery, 

 cuneate at base, obtuse or emarginate at apex, dark-green above paler beneath, 

 flowers small cream or pale green in short axillary panicles. Common in the Zomba 

 District, also found in the Ncheu and Kota Kota Hills. 



The small edible fruits are eaten by children, they ripen in September-November. 



393. Ricinodendron rautanenii Schiiiz (Euphorb.). 

 Mkomwa (N), mkangaula (Y). 



A large tree with a broad crown, leaves digitately 5-7 foliolate. 



The wood is very light, soft and spongy and fairly straight -grained. The 

 colour is yellowish-white throughout with no visible distinction between sap and 

 heartwood. It is very similar to Balsa wood, {Ochroma) but finer in texture, slightly 

 heavier and generally superior. Probably useful for light packing cases. Weight 

 11 lbs. per cu. ft. (Oven-dry). 



Ref. 22. 



394. Ricinus communis L. (Euphorb.), Castor oil plant. 



Msatsi (N), nsatsi (N, fruits), mayembayemba (Nk), impuria (Su). 



Commonly a shrub 8-12 ft. high but capable of forming a stout trunk and 

 becoming a tree up to 30 ft. high. Leaves large, palmately 5-lobed. There are 

 many forms and races. The plant flowers in March-April and fruits in May-June 

 (Kota Kota Hills). The capsule is 3-seeded, usually spiny, seeds generally mottled, 

 grey with brown-purple streaks, they have a white protuberance, aril, at the narrow 

 end. Fruit ripens in four to ten months according to variety, seeds contain ap- 

 proximately 50 per cent, of oil calculated on entire seed. The seeds are poisonous. 

 Very widespread, often found in the gardens of old women. 



Among the aCewa and possibly other tribes, only women who have stopped 

 child bearing are allowed to extract the oil. Oil extracted by women of child-bearing 

 age is thought to be able to cause mdulo, a disease of great importance among the 

 aCewa and bound up with rules of sexual conduct. Thus the old women have the 

 monopoly of trade in a village and no one will buy except from them. 



The seeds are pounded, boiled with water and the oil skimmed off" (Karonga). 

 The oil is always rubbed on the skin of babies at birth and is used to put on wounds. 

 Its use for constipation seems of recent date and only known to a few. It is also 

 used to anoint the skin and in some of the Missions, the making of soap with castor 

 oil is taught. 



Ref. 15; 26. 



106 



