Cnidoscolus aconitifolius
Cnidoscolus aconitifolius
Safety & Hazards
The uncooked leaves contain cyanogenic glycosides that produce hydrogen cyanide upon tissue damage[ 299 Title Protabase - Plant Resources of Tropical Africa. Publication Author Website http://www.prota.org Publisher Year 0 ISBN Description An excellent on-line database with detailed information on over 3,200 species of useful plants of Africa. ]. The cooking time required to lower HCN to safe levels is about 15 minutes[ 299 Title Protabase - Plant Resources of Tropical Africa. Publication Author Website http://www.prota.org Publisher Year 0 ISBN Description An excellent on-line database with detailed information on over 3,200 species of useful plants of Africa. ]. Long-term contact with the white sap can cause skin irritation[ 299 Title Protabase - Plant Resources of Tropical Africa. Publication Author Website http://www.prota.org Publisher Year 0 ISBN Description An excellent on-line database with detailed information on over 3,200 species of useful plants of Africa. ]. The leaves of most members of this genus have stinging hairs, this species is, apparently, only lightly armed[ 541 Title Journal of the Arnold Arboretum Vol. 48 Publication Author Website http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org Publisher Harvard University Year 1967 ISBN Description Includes a treatment of the N. American genera of Euphorbiaceae, but not down to specific level. In can be downloaded from the Internet. ], though gloves should probably still be used when harvesting them[ 298 Title Edible Leaves of the Tropics Publication Author Martin. F. W.; Ruberte. R. M. & Meitzner. L. S. Publisher Echo. USA. Year 1998 ISBN 0-9653360-1-8 Description A terse guide, giving reasonable detail on the more common leaf crops and brief information on a wide range of lesser known plants. ].
Botanical Description
Cnidoscolus aconitifolius is a monoecious, much branched, shrub or small tree with a thick pale bole, growing up to 6 metres tall[ 299 Title Protabase - Plant Resources of Tropical Africa. Publication Author Website http://www.prota.org Publisher Year 0 ISBN Description An excellent on-line database with detailed information on over 3,200 species of useful plants of Africa. , 332 Title The Useful Plants of West Tropical Africa. Publication Author Burkil. H. M. Publisher Royal Botanic Gardens; Kew. Year 1985 - 2004 ISBN Description Brief descriptions and details of the uses of over 4,000 plants. A superb, if terse, resource, it is also available electronically on the Web - see http://www.aluka.org/ ]. The plant contains a white latex, wild forms are usually armed with stinging hairs, but cultivated forms are unarmed[ 299 Title Protabase - Plant Resources of Tropical Africa. Publication Author Website http://www.prota.org Publisher Year 0 ISBN Description An excellent on-line database with detailed information on over 3,200 species of useful plants of Africa. ]. The plant is cultivated in parts of its native range, especially Mexico, Panama and Guatemala, for its edible leaves and medicinal virtues, and has also been trialled in parts of West Africa[ 299 Title Protabase - Plant Resources of Tropical Africa. Publication Author Website http://www.prota.org Publisher Year 0 ISBN Description An excellent on-line database with detailed information on over 3,200 species of useful plants of Africa. , 317 Title Mansfeld's Database of Agricultural and Horticultural Plants Publication Author Website http://mansfeld.ipk-gatersleben.de/pls/htmldb_pgrc/f?p=185:3:4292127278597336 Publisher Year 0 ISBN Description Terse details of a huge range of useful plants. ]. It is used as a shade tree in some areas[ 317 Title Mansfeld's Database of Agricultural and Horticultural Plants Publication Author Website http://mansfeld.ipk-gatersleben.de/pls/htmldb_pgrc/f?p=185:3:4292127278597336 Publisher Year 0 ISBN Description Terse details of a huge range of useful plants. ].