Medicinal Monday:

Clerodendrum eriophyllum

Hairy tinderwood (English)

Shrub or small tree. Stems and branches covered in white lenticels. Leaves mostly in whorls of 3 to 4, ovate to elliptic, variously hairy, particularly along the midrib. Leaves often folded up on either side of the midrib, unpleasantly scented when crushed. Flowers in dense, rounded terminal heads, white to pale pink with pink or mauve stamens and style exerted. Fruits rounded or slightly lobed, c. 10 mm in diameter, yellowish when ripe

 Habitat:

Usually on anthills in plateau woodland, miombo, floodplains and dambos, and in thickets and woodlands on rocky hillsides and outcrops, and in gully forest; 400–1700 m.

Description:

A few- to many-stemmed shrub 1–5.80 m tall, or small tree 3.5–9.5 m tall, densely branched with a ± rounded crown; bark grey or pale brown; branchlets as well as petioles and inflorescences finely ± densely greyish pubescent or velvety, leaf scars ± raised with tomentellous buds in the axils.Leaves aromatic, opposite or 3(4)-whorled; lamina (1)2–10.5(12–13) × (0.5)1–5(6–7.5) cm, ovate to elliptic or broadly elliptic, acute or distinctly acuminate at the apex, rounded or broadly cuneate at the base, pubescent above, more densely so beneath, ± discolorous, dull green above and paler beneath, entire and flat at the margin, thin textured to somewhat rigid on drying but usually not coriaceous, densely punctate with an unpleasant foetid scent when crushed; petiole (0.3)0.5–2.7 cm long. Inflorescences terminal with cymes ± densely to laxly corymbosely arranged, 4–6 cm long and 1–5.5(12) cm in diameter, sometimes with some axillary cymes beneath; bracts and bracteoles 3–5 mm long, linear-lanceolate, similar to the calyx lobes but longer; peduncle 0–7 cm long; secondary branches up to 1.3 cm long; pedicels 2–4 mm long. Calyx densely white-greyish pubescent; tube 2.5–2.75 mm long, campanulate, 2.5–2.75 mm in diameter below the lobes; lobes (1)2–3 mm long, linear-subulate from a ± triangular base, separated by rounded sinuses. Corolla white, rarely mauve or pinkish-white or cream-white, fragrant; tube (7)8–13 mm long, sparsely pubescent and also with small sessile or shortly stalked glands outside; lobes 3.5 mm long, oblong. Style and stamens exerted 8 mm. Filaments pink; anthers brown, (1)1.25–1.5 mm long. Fruits white to marble-coloured, 6–10 mm in diameter, strongly wrinkled and ± lobed when dry, sitting in a ribbed shallow, lobed fruiting calyx up to 8 mm wide.

Uses and cultural aspects  A root decoction is drunk for stomach diseases, intestinal disorders and an extract is used for treating Malaria. The leaves which sometimes have a foetid smell when crushed, are said to repel beetles and other insects. They are added to milk to rid calves of intestinal worms and an infusion, made from them to treat colic. A decoction is placed on wounds to prevent infection by maggots and is also used to cure coughs and fevers. Pounded leaves placed in the armpit and on the back of the neck are said to induce sleep and provide a remedy for convulsions in children, while an infusion of the roots is taken as an antidote to snake bite.

Guides & Rangers do not recommend using any of the plants mentioned for medicinal purposes, without seeking expert medical advice.

Journals consulted: Trees of Southern Africa by Keith Coates Palgrave

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