About Cissus cornifolia (Baker) Planch.
Cissus cornifolia (Baker) Planch. is a species of flowering plant in the Vitaceae family, and it belongs to the genus Cissus, which contains over 300 recognized species. This plant is an erect or semi-scandent woody shrub that grows up to 3 meters in height. Its native range extends from sub-Saharan and Tropical Africa southward to Botswana, Mozambique, and South Africa. It grows from a large tuberous rootstock, and can be found at elevations up to 2000 meters in open woodland and grassland, frequently growing on granite outcrops. It occasionally develops tendrils. The nodes on its branches are noticeably swollen, and new growth of the plant is covered in a ferruginous, floccose coating that remains present on the plant's bracts. In traditional use, powdered roots or tubers, or decoctions made from them, are used to treat venereal diseases, naso-pharyngeal infections, fevers, and malaria. The plant is also traditionally used as a sedative. Its tubers and fruits are eaten, and are also used to add flavor to sauces.
