Description

A tall perennial semi-woody herb with leafy canes to 3 m high bearing terminal inflorescences of white and yellow flowers, of the forest zone in moist places from Senegal to Nigeria and Fernando Po and widespread throughout the forest region of tropical Africa.The plant while occurring fairly commonly in the wild, particularly in the higher rainfall areas, is often planted in gardens. The significance of the Hausa name ‘Thou refusest to come to Hausa’ is not clear for the plant is common in Hausaland.The sap is somewhat rubefacient, and on open wounds is burning, yet it is also anodynal and healing. Sap from a fresh plant or a decoction of the dried plant is used in Ivory Coast — Upper Volta in eye-instillation for various eye-affections and for headache, and in frictions for oedemas and fever (6, 14). The Akye of Ivory Coast mix the leaves with those of Aframomum sceptrum (Oliv. & Hanb.) K. Schum. (Zingiberaceae) and use the expressed sap in nasal instillation for headache with vertigo: the mixed leaves are also applied to the face (3). A stem-decoction is widely used for treatment of rheumatism (3, 7, 15) and in Casamance (Senegal) (12, 13) and in Gabon (17) crushed stems rubbed on to wounds immediately after their infliction give good results for cleansing and healing. The stem in decoction or the pounded fruit are commonly used in Nigeria as a cough-medicine (7, 15). In Sierra Leone the stem is mashed (16) or chewed (8) to relieve cough. The pulped-up stems taken in a little water are strongly diuretic. This is used in Ivory Coast-Upper Volta to relieve urethral discharge (14). The Ijo of S Nigeria express the sap which is taken for malaria and to clear urine (18). The deleafed and debarked stem is used in Nigeria against attacks of nausea (4) and young stems are sucked by the Efik to quench thirst (1). Leaf-sap in a root-decoction is drunk in Tanganyika for malaria (9).The outer layer of the stems is used in Lower Dahomey to weave into small table mats, kola baskets, etc., and the plant is sometimes cultivated for this purpose (5, 7). The stem has some value as a paper material, and good quality brown and white papers have been produced (5). Children in S Nigeria use the stems for cleaning school slates (1). The sap can be used to coagulate rubber (1).Nigerian material has been found free of alkaloids (2).The root is used in the Benue region for cough, and a decoction of roots and epiphytic orchids has been used as a remedy for sleeping-sickness (7). In Casamance (Senegal) the roots mashed to a thick paste are applied topically to abscesses and ulcers (11, 13) and they are put into a popular medicine for constipation (13). In Nigeria a root-infusion is taken for stomach-ache and is considered to be a stimulant and an aphrodisiac (4). In Gabon the root is boiled to a pap and taken for syphilis (16), and a decoction is taken in Tanganyika for leprosy and gonorrhoea (9).In Sierra Leone the canes are laid under bodies of the dead, and when twins are born are laid by an anthill. In Ghana the plant has many superstitious uses. It is placed on a cultivated field, or path, or entrance to a house for protection, and planted in sacred groves. It is used in religious ceremonies. Its smell is regarded as inimical to ghosts and evil influences, and it is offered to a spirit occupying a tree (7, 10).

Description

A tall perennial semi-woody herb with leafy canes to 3 m high bearing terminal inflorescences of white and yellow flowers, of the forest zone in moist places from Senegal to Nigeria and Fernando Po and widespread throughout the forest region of tropical Africa.The plant while occurring fairly commonly in the wild, particularly in the higher rainfall areas, is often planted in gardens. The significance of the Hausa name ‘Thou refusest to come to Hausa’ is not clear for the plant is common in Hausaland.The sap is somewhat rubefacient, and on open wounds is burning, yet it is also anodynal and healing. Sap from a fresh plant or a decoction of the dried plant is used in Ivory Coast — Upper Volta in eye-instillation for various eye-affections and for headache, and in frictions for oedemas and fever (6, 14). The Akye of Ivory Coast mix the leaves with those of Aframomum sceptrum (Oliv. & Hanb.) K. Schum. (Zingiberaceae) and use the expressed sap in nasal instillation for headache with vertigo: the mixed leaves are also applied to the face (3). A stem-decoction is widely used for treatment of rheumatism (3, 7, 15) and in Casamance (Senegal) (12, 13) and in Gabon (17) crushed stems rubbed on to wounds immediately after their infliction give good results for cleansing and healing. The stem in decoction or the pounded fruit are commonly used in Nigeria as a cough-medicine (7, 15). In Sierra Leone the stem is mashed (16) or chewed (8) to relieve cough. The pulped-up stems taken in a little water are strongly diuretic. This is used in Ivory Coast-Upper Volta to relieve urethral discharge (14). The Ijo of S Nigeria express the sap which is taken for malaria and to clear urine (18). The deleafed and debarked stem is used in Nigeria against attacks of nausea (4) and young stems are sucked by the Efik to quench thirst (1). Leaf-sap in a root-decoction is drunk in Tanganyika for malaria (9).The outer layer of the stems is used in Lower Dahomey to weave into small table mats, kola baskets, etc., and the plant is sometimes cultivated for this purpose (5, 7). The stem has some value as a paper material, and good quality brown and white papers have been produced (5). Children in S Nigeria use the stems for cleaning school slates (1). The sap can be used to coagulate rubber (1).Nigerian material has been found free of alkaloids (2).The root is used in the Benue region for cough, and a decoction of roots and epiphytic orchids has been used as a remedy for sleeping-sickness (7). In Casamance (Senegal) the roots mashed to a thick paste are applied topically to abscesses and ulcers (11, 13) and they are put into a popular medicine for constipation (13). In Nigeria a root-infusion is taken for stomach-ache and is considered to be a stimulant and an aphrodisiac (4). In Gabon the root is boiled to a pap and taken for syphilis (16), and a decoction is taken in Tanganyika for leprosy and gonorrhoea (9).In Sierra Leone the canes are laid under bodies of the dead, and when twins are born are laid by an anthill. In Ghana the plant has many superstitious uses. It is placed on a cultivated field, or path, or entrance to a house for protection, and planted in sacred groves. It is used in religious ceremonies. Its smell is regarded as inimical to ghosts and evil influences, and it is offered to a spirit occupying a tree (7, 10).