Category
Species
Casia abbreviata (Muwawani)
Known locally as Muwawani.
From the Useful Tropical Plants Database
It is a deciduous tree that usually grows up to 10 metres tall. The bole is usually slender and erect and the wood is termite resistant.
The tree is commonly harvested from the wild due to the medicinal properties of the roots and bark to cure schistosomiasis. Flowers are highly appreciated as bee forage and the leaves have a high nitrogen concentration. Bilharzia, Malaria and blackwater fever are also treated with root extracts.
Pertinent features
- indigenous
- used medicinally
- wood is termite resistant
- deep-rooting tree and is important in soil conservation
- coppicing for firewood