The fruits are edible, sweet tasting and are used as a dye for cloth. The wood is 

 used for game traps. 



463. Vangueria tomentosa Hochst. (Rubiac), Wild Medlar. 

 Msilu, mzilu, mvilu, mbilima (N), mpulukututu, mjulukutu, mkangandembo (Y), 

 magurunguru (Nk). 



A tawny, tomentose, small tree up to 25 ft. ; leaves opposite, ovate-oval, downy, 

 round at base, narrowed at the apex, greenish above, paler beneath ; flowers greenish, 

 tubular, parts in fives, a quarter of an inch long ; fruits, rounded, smooth up to 

 1 J ins. in diameter, 5 seeded, ripe in February. Widespread. 



The fruits are edible, the brown pulp round the seeds tastes somewhat like 

 stewed dried, apple-rings. " An excellent fruit tree surpassing the medlar." Roots 

 are used as anti- snake bite remedy also boiled and liquid drunk as an anthelmintic 

 (Tt). 

 Ref. 14; 26. 



464. Vangueria sp. 



Matemhela (N), mUmbedwa. 



A tree having edible fruits known to be growing at Kota Kota Lake-shore. 



465. Vellozia spp. (Velloziac), Brooms and brushes. 

 Swakala (ML), ciceu, cewo (N), cejo, misuwaci (Y), cipieya (Cilambya). 



Branched woody shrubs up to 10 ft. tall with very stiff fibrous stems which are 

 crowned at their apices with a tuft of grass-like leaves, fiowers yellow, to mauve 

 even white, tubular. Widespread found on rock domes and slopes, rarely in arid 

 grassland, flowering just before the rains. 



The stems make effective scrubbing brushes and pot cleaners. Pieces of stem 

 about 18 ins. long with one end frayed out make good whitewash brushes, also 

 natural torches. 

 Ref. 14; 27. 



466. Vernonia amygdalina Del. (Comp.), Bitter leaf. 



Nsangusangu, msangusangu {Y),futsa (N), tsoyo (C). 



A freely-branched shrub, 6-10 ft. high, leaves, alternate, lanceolate, narrowed 

 at both ends, acute; flower heads in dense much-branched globose or pyramidal, 

 terminal panicles, 4-12 ins. in diameter, corolla white, seeds hairy. Widespread. 



The plant is burnt and the ash is used for cooking purposes. It has very many 

 medicinal uses ; an infusion of the roots is used as abortifacient, the abortion is said 

 to follow three days after taking the medicine. It is also said to prevent further 

 pregnancies, hence to be used with discretion. An infusion of the roots with those 

 of msiloti {Psorospermum febrifugum), mtanga, kamkande, mabwani {Inula glomerata), 

 namwalicece {Cissus sp.), msekese {Piliostigma thonningii), is drunk as a cure for 

 nyamakazi, (rheumatism and allied complaints) . An infusion of the roots with those 

 of khozyo {Commiphora), kathyothyo and m^hangwa is drunk to cure colds and coughs. 

 An infusion of the roots with those of muwaioani {Cassia sp.), mtunda, kankhande, 

 {Ziziphus mauritiana) and mwemba is drunk to cure a venereal disease, linyoka. At 

 the time of an aCewa girl's first menstruation she drinks an infusion of the roots 

 mixed with those of kathyothyo, mcengwe, katonga and canzi {Lippia asperifolia). 

 The roots are also used as medicine for a skin disease, cipere and also for yaws. The 

 leaves and stems are dried and powdered and mixed with ground tobacco leaves 

 to make snuff. When women want their beer to be " strong " they rub the insides of 

 the pots with the leaves. This is said to make the brew more intoxicating and 

 hence more popular. The dry stems are often used for lids of grain stores, nkhokwe, 

 as they are light and strong. The stems are used for tooth cleaners (W.A.) and 

 as a chew stick. 

 Ref. 14; 15; 26. 



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