NAME: Desmodium adscendens
FAMILY NAME: Leguminosae
COMMON NAMES: Desmodium, Strong Back Herb
LOCAL NAMES: Epa-ile, aberodefe, Nbasioku
MORPHOLOGY: Desmodium adscendens is a herbaceous perennial plant with creeping to erect stems that are often much-branched from the base and can become somewhat woody. The stems sometimes root at their lower nodes. The plant can grow up to 100cm tall
PART(S): Leaves, whole plant
GENERAL USES: medicinal
GEOGRAPHICAL DISTRIBUTION: Peru, Jamaica, Central America and West Africa
WHY IS IT GREEN: Constipation, convulsions, gonorrhoea, viginal discharge, urinary tract cleanser, dysentery. Diarrhea, syphilis, bronchial asthma, sperm count enhancer, malaria, relieve back pain and neck pain
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT: This species has a symbiotic relationship with certain soil bacteria; these bacteria form nodules on the roots and fix atmospheric nitrogen
The plant is often used as a cover crop and a green manure in various plantations
FURTHER READING:
OSBOURNE QUAYE (1998), BIOCHEMICAL TOXICOLOGY OF DESMODIUM ADSCENDENS. University of Ghana http://ugspace.ug.edu.gh