Description
Alepidea is a genus of about twenty species in the botanical family Apiaceae, all of which are native to Africa. They are mostly erect, biennial or perennial, herbs that occur mainly in southern Africa but are found as far north as Ethiopia.Alepidea amatymbica, also known as African Dream Root, Larger Tinsel Flower, Kalmoes, iqwili, ikhathazo and lesoko is a South African indigenous vigorous growing, erect plant and can reach up to 2 m in height on the grasslands. The stalk of the flower is hollow, with copious amounts of small white flowers arranged in dense, rounded heads at the top. Alepidea amatymbica is widespread in the summer rainfall grasslands of southern Africa, and up the east coastline as far as Zimbabwe, and northwards into Kenya & Ethiopia. This plant has many ethnobotanical and medicinal uses. The dry rhizome and roots are smoked, or powdered and taken as snuff by diviners and healers to assist in divination and communication with the ancestors. Smoking the roots, results in sedation and vivid dreams. Elderly people powder the dry rhizome and take it as a snuff, or smoke the roots for headache. The rhizome is carried as a magical lucky charm, and is used for colds, asthma, and flu. The roots are also used as a smoking admixture to Marijuana, and the smoke of Alepidea amatymbica disguises the smell of the Marijuana herb.Alepidea amatymbica is also used for self-fortification and as protection against evil spirits. According to some traditions, the divining bones of ancestors are washed with this herb. The rhizomes and roots contain high concentrations of several diterpenoids of the kaurene type. The major compounds are dehydrokaurenoic acids and kaurenoic acids, of which ent-16-kauren-19-oic acid is usually present in the greatest quantity.
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