Guiera senegalensis

Guiera senegalensis belongs to the Combretaceae family. This shrub has common names such as Moshi medicine and guier du Senegal. It grows wild in dry tropical Africa, from Senegal to Sudan. It grows in savannah and open woods, and on farms no longer in use. It also grows on worn-out land with sandy or rocky soil. Its home regions have a marked dry season.

The shrub grows slowly. It keeps some or all of its leaves year-round. Most plants reach 3–10 feet [1–3 metres] tall. Rare plants reach about 16 feet [5 metres]. Garden sources also give its height and width as 8 feet [2.5 metres]. The bark is grey. Soft hairs coat the branches. Small black glands occur across the plant. The leaves are oval and grey-green. Its small flowers are yellow-green and grow in round heads. The sources mention fruit but do not say how it looks.

Give this shrub full sun and soil that drains well. It suits sand or loam and copes with poor soil. It grows in mildly acid soil, too. Neutral or mildly alkaline soil also suits it. The soil can be dry or moist. The shrub can withstand drought. Sources place it in USDA zones 10–12. Its wild range has spread south into wetter areas. Sources list seed as the way to grow new plants. They give no method for sowing seeds. They do not state when it flowers.

The plant can help restore poor ground. Grazing animals spread its seeds, which helps it reach bare sites. It can form stands where few other plants grow. Its presence may also signal land harmed by too much grazing. Sources advise curbing its spread in Senegal to keep pasture in good shape. The bark yields gum. People use thin branches to make baskets. Sources also list uses for fences, fuel, and tannin.

People have long used the leaves in African medicine. They gather leaves from wild plants and sell them in markets. Past uses include remedies for coughs, fevers, and gut complaints. These records show how people have used the plant. They do not prove that treatment is safe or works. Reports of food use differ. One source lists no edible uses. Another notes gum use and leaves used to curdle milk. Sources also report leaf tea. Both sources list no known hazards. This does not prove the plant is safe. The evidence names no specific pests or diseases.