Capparis decidua

MEDICINAL PROPERTIES
A climbing shrub with vine-like branches hanging in bundles. The bark is greeish-yellow and smooth. The thorns are paired, pale brown, straight or hooked and to 0.5cm. There are only leaves on young shoots that are small and narrow and soon fall off. Leaves only appear during short rains. Flowers are pink-red, single or in threes beside leaves and about 1cm across. Flowers appear at the beginning of the dry season. Fruits are red and rounded, about 1cm across, black when ripe and dry. Fruits are edible. The skin of the fruit has to be removed and the flesh can be eaten. Everybody collects and eats the fruits.

The tender leaves are applied as a poultice on boils and swelling. They are chewed to relive toothache. The stem bark is acrid, laxative and diaphoretic. It is given in remittent fevers and rheumatism. The roots are useful in boils eruptions, swelling, foululcers, cough, hiccough and asthma.