A glabrous fleshy annual herb, very variable in size with branches from 1–2 cm to 70 cm long, occurring widespread in the northerly and dryer part of Region from Senegal to N Nigeria, and common in tropical and southern Africa, Madagascar and Asia. The plant is subject to fungal attack by Exobasidium gisekiae Allesch. which renders it pink or wine-red in colour, a situation accounting for the Fula name of ‘herdsmen’s henna’ and the Hausa name ‘stork’s henna.’The plant is occasionally eaten: as an emergency food in West Africa (3) and India (7), and elsewhere as an occasional vegetable (Kenya, 7; Tanganyika, 15; Somalia, 4). In Tibesti of northern Chad it is subjected to prolonged cooking, with hashed-up meat till nearly dry, when it is eaten as a condiment (10). It is eaten as a condiment in Zaïre (6). In Lake Province of Tanganyika the whole plant is eaten as a general strength restorative (14). Cattle and goats graze it in Senegal but in Chad all stock refuse it (1). In Ghana goats will take it and sometimes the plant is collected for fodder (7). The fruit is reputed to be poisonous (15), and it is perhaps the stage of growth that determines whether or not stock will graze it.The plant is sold in medicine markets to the north of the Region as a purgative (A. Chevalier fide 3). In E Africa (2) and in South Africa, Tanganyika and Madagascar the plant is taken for diarrhoea (15). In India, Indonesia, South Africa and Madagascar it is used as a taenicide (15). It is used in the West African region to rub on swellings in the same fashion as Portulaca (Portulacaceae) is used (3). In Lake Province of Tanganyika the stem pounded with butter is placed on aching muscles (13). In Sokoto it is reported as used on areas of pain, probably rheumatic (9). Pounded with other herbs and native natron it is made into poultices for sores in cattle in N Nigeria (3). In Tanganyika the green leaves are cooked and eaten for asthma (12); in Kenya the roots are made into a chest medicine (8), and Swahili of East Africa make the whole plant into a remedy against miscarriage (15). The sap is used on warts in India (5).Tannins are present in the plant (11, 15), and tannin-like principles α- and β$- gisekia are in the seeds and these are probably anthelmintic
