Jute and Clotoralia

Jute

Jute(Corchorus olitorus), mlenda(Swahili), murere(Luhya), chikosho(Kamba), namale(Turkana), omotore(Kisii), vombo(Giriama), ntereryan(Tugen), otigowinyo(Acholi), mutere(Lusoga).

An erect woody herb growing up to 2.5m high belonging to the family Tiliaceae. The elongate leaves reach 15 cm long with serrated margins and are eaten as a cooked grain.

The edible dark raw leaves contain 5% protein and 12% carbohydrates and are high in Vitamin B & C. Jute is usually combined with other greens such as spider plant/crotolaria as it is somewhat slimy when prepared on its own.

Jute seldom grows above 1500m above sea-level. It is planted from seed in rows and is usually harvested by cutting branches and combining them into "bunches". This method of harvest stimulates the production of more branches.

Jute Medicinal Benefits

• Injections of olitoriside markedly improve cardiac insufficiencies and have no cumulative attributes; hence it can serve as a substitute for strophanthin.


• It is also known to ease indigestion

(Crotolaria ochreleuca), mirro (Luhya), mitto (Luo), Kamumusuusuu (Kamba),Kipkururiet (Kipsigis), oleechei (Maa), lala (Acholi), aubi (Luganda).

A short-lived, erect perennial herb growing up to 1.5 metres in height, indigenous to Africa and belonging to the family Leguminoseae (Papilionaceae).

In Kenya, it occurs primarily in Nyanza and Western Provinces and can grow at elevations up to 2000 metres. The leaves are divide into 3 long, narrow leaflets, the flowers are yellow with purple veins and the pods are short, fat and contain numerous, small yellow to orange seeds.

The plant is seldom observed in the wild and is grown cooked green, usually in combination with other greens because of crotolaria's bitter taste, and containing up to 9% protein.

Another species, Crotolaria brevidens, is prepared in a similar manner has a wider range within Kenya, extending from Eastern Province to Lake Victoria and is distinguished by its wider leaves and longer, thinner pods.

Its leaves are widely used as a vegetable. The vegetable is slightly bitter and is normally cooked with milk or other vegetables like cow peas or with pumpkin leaves to counteract this.

Crotolaria Medicinal Benefits

• Reduces the effect of stomach ailments


• The seeds not only purify the blood but are used in impetigo and psorissis, and as an emmenagogue.


• A concoction made from the leaves is thought to cure bilharzias, haemorrhoids, snake bites and also used as an antiseptic.


• The oil extracted from its seed is sometimes used as an insect repellent.