Harrisonia abyssinica

Botanical Description

Harrisonia abyssinica is a spiny, evergreen shrub that branches fron the base, or can become a spreading, much-branched tree; it usually grows up to 6 metres tall, though some trees have been reported to reach 13 metres. The bole and larger branches have thorns up to 2cm long growing on conical corky outgrowths[ 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 widely used in traditional medicine in many parts of Africa, the roots being sold for medicinal use in many local markets[ 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 tree also provides food and wood for the local population and is used as a living fence and to provide shade around homesteads[ 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. ].