The sapwood is wide, pale yellow, heartwood is narrow, dark brown, tough, hard, 

 cross-grained and difficult to work, liable to crack in seasoning. It bends well 

 and takes a good polish. In Kenya it is used for boat-building. Weight 58 lb. per 

 cu ft. (airdry). A blood red gum is obtained from the trunk and branches (E.A.). 

 A piece of the bark is soaked with some maize and the liquid given to fowls and 

 pigeons to drink; this according to local native belief (aCewa) ensures that if the 

 birds stray or are taken by some predatory bird that they will return. An infusion 

 of the roots mixed with a variety of others is drunk to cure linyoka, a venereal disease. 



Ref.: 14; 17; 22; 23; 26. 



434. Telfairia pedata (Sm.) Hook. (Cucurbit.), Oyster-nut. 

 Matandu (Su). 



A climbing perennial plant with stem up to 60 ft., alternate smooth, pedate 

 leaves and purplish flowers; fruits ridged, the size and shape of a Rugby football, 

 containing numerous large, round flat, yellowish fibre -covered seeds. Known to be 

 cultivated in the Misuku Hills in Karonga District at a height of about 4,000 ft. 



The kernels of the nuts are pounded and added to a side-dish (Misuku). An 

 oil is extracted which is much esteemed by some tribes especially by lactating women 

 (T.T.). 



Ref. 17; 23; 26. 



435. Temnocalyx obovatus (N.E. Br.) Robyns (Rubiac.) 



Maso a ng'ombe (N), meso ga ng'ombe (Y) (both meaning eyes of cattle), memenela, 

 njoga (Y), msamha ana (N), candantala (Tu). 



A herbaceous perennial, somewhat woody, 2-3 ft. high, sometimes in clumps, 

 with 3-angled, slightly pubescent stems; leaves opposite; flowers, single or paired 

 axillary, three quarters to one inch long, the corolla greenish-yellow with white lobes, 

 In flower and bearing fruit in November (Kota Kota Hills). 



The fruits are edible. The roots together with those of two shrubs, damate 

 {Monghamia), and kapilapila, are used as medicine to add to infants' gruel. The 

 medicine is to kill the creature that is believed to be twisting the babies' intestines. 

 The roots are also given when a child is ailing of utumbidwa, thought to be caused by 

 too early weaning due to a further pregnancy. The father may also sufiFer from the 

 same disease and hence takes the same medicine. 



436. Tephrosia nyasae Bak. f. (Papil.). 

 Ombwe. 



A hairy shrub with pinnate leaves about 6 ins. long, leaflets in 6-10 pairs oblong ; 

 flowers purple in dense racemes ; pods rust coloured. 



The plant is used for stupefying flsh preparatory to catching them . See Tephrosia 

 vogelii. 



Ref. 14. 



437. T. vogelii Hook. f. (Papil.). 

 Mthuthu (G). 



A herbaceous shrub 8-10 ft. high, with a dense yellowish or rusty covering of 

 short hairs; dense, stalked racemes of conspicuous red, purple or white flowers; 

 pods furry containing numerous seeds. 



The leaves, branches and pods are pounded and thrown on the surface of the 

 water, causing any fish it may contain to rise, stupefied or dead, in a few muiutes. 

 The fish are quite wholesome to eat. Valuable as an insecticide, there is 15 per cent, 

 tephrosin in the leaves and 30 per cent, in the seeds. 

 Ref. 13; 14; 26. 



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