Trichodesma zeylanicum aka Camelbush

Trichodesma zeylanicum is in the borage family, Boraginaceae. People call it camel bush and Ceylon borage. Its native range spans eastern and southern Africa. This range includes Ethiopia. It also spans the western Indian Ocean and southwestern Arabia. It extends into tropical Asia. Kew places it in the seasonally dry tropical biome. It is not native to Britain or Ireland.

This plant most often grows as an annual herb. Some plants live longer and form a low shrub. Many branches rise from a taproot beneath the plant. The stems turn woody, at least near their base. One source lists a height of about 3.3 feet [1 metre]. Its fuller account gives an upper height of 4.9 feet [1.5 metres]. Dense, coarse hairs make the plant rough to touch. These hairs can irritate skin when people handle it. Bees visit the flowers and pollinate them.

It grows in dry bushland, grassland, and farmed ground. It also spreads onto bare ground after disturbance. Records place it in both well-drained sites and marshy soils. It also grows on black-cotton soils. Records place it as high as about 5,577 feet [1,700 metres]. These records show where it grows in the wild. They do not show tested garden needs. The supplied sources give no hardiness zone. Nor do they give a watering schedule. Farmers may find it a troublesome weed in crops. Reports from Fiji list it as an invasive species. People can grow new plants from seed.

People gather the plant from the wild for food. They chop young leaves and shoots, then cook them. They may mix these greens with amaranth or peas. Coconut milk or groundnut paste may enrich the dish. People serve the cooked mix with rice or another staple. Its use as food does not mean it is safe. Its seeds contain pyrrolizidine alkaloids, with supinine the main one. These compounds can harm the liver. This damage can build over time.

In traditional medicine, people use roots for pain and stomach complaints. They also put root powder on wounds. They use leaf-and-root poultices on wounds, too. These reports of use do not prove the treatments are safe. Other remedies use plant decoctions or ash. The stems serve as sticks for making fire. Producers in Australia supply a traded oil or flower product. Western Europe forms its main market. The source does not make clear what this product contains.