408. Smithia elliotii Bak. f. (Papil.). 



Kadzulo, kamdzula (N). 



An annual with erect stems, leaves 2-2J Ins., leaflets in 6-9 pairs, racemes 3-6 

 flowered with conspicuous brown bracts; pod with 1-4 joints. The leaves are 

 very commonly eaten in Kota Kota, Dowa and Dedza Hills, especially towards the 

 end of the dry weather. They were sufficiently in demand in N.A. Tambala's area, 

 Dedza District, in November, 1942, to be on sale at the markets. 



The leaves are cooked as a side-dish. The leaflets are very small and it is rather 

 a tedious process plucking them from the stem, hence the names from kusadzula 

 meaning to pluck. The leaflets are cooked with the help of potashes and keep 

 their form even when cooked. Groundnuts are not added. The cooked product is 

 so slippery that most of it runs back into the dish when the lump oi porridge is 

 dipped in; hence a little goes a long way. The dish is frequently eaten by women 

 and children and is often cooked for babies and invalids. 



409. Solanum aculeastrum Dunal. (Solan.). 

 Mtundu wa matungwi (C). 



A shrub or small tree which grows to about 20 ft. with stout thorns on stems 

 and leaves ; leaves green on top and almost white on under surface ; flowers potato- 

 like, pale mauve; fruits large spherical, 2 ins. in diameter round, green when young. 

 Easy to grow from seed and is said to make a very good live hedge. 



Ref. 26. 



410. S. nigrum L. Black Nightshade. 

 Mnadzi (N), mnesi (Y), msaha, musaka (Tu), inafu (Su). 



A herbaceous annual growing to 2ft. high with yellow- centred white flowers, 

 small, black, spherical fruits the size of currants, in bunches. Widespread all over 

 the country at all elevations especially in rich soils near cattle kraals. 



The leaves are cooked as a side-dish. The old stems are thrown away, the rest 

 bunched in the hand and broken across, a solution of potashes is sometimes used to 

 soften them. During the dry weather the first cooking water is thrown away as the 

 leaves are extra bitter then. The leaves are often cooked with luni {Gynandropsis 

 gynandra), or with mpiru, {Brassica sp .) . The product is slightly bitter tasting but 

 because of its abundance is used fairly commonly. The ripe berries are eaten by 

 children and are sometimes collected and made into jam (S.R.). The green 

 immature berries are definitely poisonous. 



*411. S. melongena L. (Solan.), Egg fruit, brinjal. 



Mpilingana (Y), magringala (Ml), bringanya (Karonga). 



A shrubby herb native of south-eastern Asia, growing to 3 ft. with potato-like 

 flowers and globular fruits. The latter vary in size and colour according to variety, 

 purple kinds are common. They grow at all elevations but do best at low levels. 

 They are grown commonly by Europeans and by Africans in the Southern Province 

 and to a small extent in Karonga District. 



The fruits are cooked as a side-dish. They are sliced, boiled until tender and 

 then mixed with pounded groundnuts. In Karonga, they are cooked mixed with 

 pumpkin or cowpea leaves or with meat or groundnuts. The fruits cooked in various 

 ways are often eaten by Europeans. They are of better flavour if salted overnight. 



Ref. 13; 23. 



*412. S. tuberosum L. Irish Potato. 



Mbatata wa cizungu, matetesi, kacewere (N), kholowa a cizungu (Ngu), mbambaira, 

 mcimle (To), (Tu) katofeniya (Nk), ndofanya (Su), (Last three named derived from 

 the German, kartoffel). 



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