Bushman's Tea with sedative effect (Athrixia phylicoides) Seeds - Indigenous Ethnobotanical

Family : Asteraceae (daisy family)
Common names : Bushman's tea ( Eng. ); Boesmanstee (Afr.); Icholocholo, itshelo, umthsanelo (Zulu)

This is a stunning plant that has a great horticultural potential in cultivation. Its beautiful flowers and the soft texture of the leaves make it an asset in your garden.

Description
Athrixia phylicoides is a shrub of 1 m in height, with leafy stems throughout. The leaves are fine, linear, 30 x 10 mm, dark green and shiny above and grey-white and smooth below. The ray florets of the flowerheads are mauve, the disc florets yellow. Flowerheads are sessile, terminal and axillary towards the ends of the branches. This shrub will flower throughout the year depending on the area but the best flowering time is from March to May.

Distribution and Habitat

It is widely distributed in the eastern part of South Africa from the Soutpansberg to Queenstown, King William's Town and East London; throughout KwaZulu-Natal from the coast to the Drakensberg. This shrub is found in grassland, forests, bushveld, rocky and sloping habitats.

Name derivation
The genus name Athrixia is derived from the Greek word thrix meaning hair, which refers to the leaves. The specific epithet phylicoides means it resembles Phylica .

Economic Uses

Aside from its horticultural potential, this plant also has traditional economic uses. The Bushman used to make tea from the leaves of Athrixia phylicoides, hence its common name. This tea is said to be a mild but effective sedative. It is used to make hard brooms. It is also chewed, for sore throats and coughs by the Sotho and Xhosa. The Venda are reported to use extracts from soaked roots and leaves as anthelmintics.