An erect or scandent shrub, to 5 m high, of wooded savanna, secondary jungle and regrowth in abandoned farm-land occurring throughout the Region and widespread in tropical Africa and Asia.It is sometimes cultivated in gardens, probably not as an ornamental, but for its medicinal virtues. The leaves are not eaten, and their use in medicines taken by mouth is limited on account of their toxicity (16, 17, 20). They are said to be poisonous to goats in Ghana (14), but in Kenya they browse the plant (9, 10). The leaf is aromatic, and has an unpleasant smell. A leaf-infusion is taken for fever with headache, and also as a lotion or fumigation, or inhalation to cause perspiration (5, 7, 20, 22). The liquid of a leaf-decoction is commonly taken in Kenya for malaria: it is said to be very bitter (8), and to be emetic and purgative (10, 11). In Sierra Leone a decoction has been considered specific for ‘yellow fever’ and for dropsy, and to be reliable for blackwater fever (5). In Ghana it is said to be suitable to give (method not disclosed) to infants with fever (14, 26) while in Uganda children with fever are bathed in a leaf-decoction, and for fever generally a root-decoction is drunk (19). Bathing has a sedative action. In Ivory Coast it is used in treating insanity (2), and in E Africa for epilepsy and fits in children (25, 26). A leaf-decoction is taken in Sierra Leone by women when in labour (18). In Liberia an infusion is used as a nasal inhalant (3). The powdered root is taken as a snuff in the Region to relieve colds (5); in Uganda the root-sap is sniffed up the nose for headache (21), and in Tanganyika the leaf is placed inside the nostril of both man and cattle for head-colds (25). The sap is said to be irritant to the mucosae and is applied as nose-drops in Ivory Coast as a restorative in fainting and as an anodyne in headache, and in enema form as an aphrodisiac and to treat female sterility (2). Sap from young crushed roots is applied in Ghana to the eyes for eye-troubles and as a specific for cataract causing a burning sensation for 10–15 minutes. The lees from the crushed roots are mixed with shea butter and smeared over the lids at bedtime to reduce the swelling. Treatment is repeated weekly (5). In Congo leaf-sap is instilled into the eye for ophthalmia and to kill filaria (1). The plant is anodynal to aches, pains and swellings. It is used in Ivory Coast for various stomach complaints, jaundice and oedemas (2). In Casamance the root-powder, usually taken as snuff via the nose, is commonly used for toothache (15). In Congo pulped leaves are prepared as a wet dressing for inflammations, and for pulmonary troubles when the material is massaged over the chest (1). It is a decongestant causing diuresis and thus relief in urethral obstruction and is given in Ivory Coast (2, 17) and Congo (1) for gonorrhoea. Purgative action is used in treatment of abdominal troubles, leprosy, and as an abortifacient in Ivory Coast. In the case of leprosy the leaves pulped with clay are also applied topically and cause a ‘burning’ of the skin (17). In Liberia and Nigeria a leaf-infusion is taken as a vermifuge (4, 6, 20), while in E Africa the plant is considered a remedy for hookworm (25). The sap from warmed leaves is put into sore eyes in Sierra Leone, and on to the scalp to cure ringworm whereby the preparation is called ta-hale, ‘skull medicine’ (5). A root-decoction is applied as a compress to draw lanced abscesses in Tanganyika (12).The Dan of Ivory Coast compound the plant with Piper umbellatum Linn. (Piperaceae) and Mansonia altissmia A. Chev. (Sterculiaceae) into an arrow-poison which is used for hunting larger game such as antelope. For smaller animals, especially monkeys, they compound it with Pentadethra macrophylla Benth. (Leguminosae: Mimosoideae) and Agelaea sp. (Connaraceae) (17). The use of the plant in arrow-poisons does not apparently occur in Senegal (16).Phyto-chemical analysis of leafy material from Ivory Coast showed the presence of traces of alkaloids, steroids and a strongly haemolytic substance, propably a saponin (16, 20). Extracts of roots, stems, leaves and flowers have shown a weak insecticidal activity (13).The Igbo of Uburubu rub the plant on the skin to bring good luck (23), and in Ivory Coast it is incorporated into a protective talisman against evil spirits and illnesses (17).The Masai of Kenya use the stems as firesticks (9).