Entada rheedii
| Entada rheedii | |
|---|---|
 |
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| Mature pod in Mozambique | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| (unranked): | Angiosperms |
| (unranked): | Eudicots |
| (unranked): | Rosids |
| Order: | Fabales |
| Family: | Fabaceae |
| Genus: | Entada |
| Species: | E. rheedii |
| Binomial name | |
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Entada rheedii Spreng. |
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| Synonyms | |
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Adenanthera gogo Blanco |
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Adenanthera gogo Blanco
Entada gogo (Blanco) I.M.Johnst.
Entada monostachya DC.
Entada pursaetha DC.
Entada pusaetha DC. [Spelling var.]
Entada rheedei Spreng. [Sp. variant]
Entada rheedii subsp. rheedii Entada scheffleri Ridl.
Mimosa entada L.
Entada rheedii, commonly known as the African dream herb or snuff box sea bean, and as the cacoon vine in Jamaica, is a large woody liana or climber. Their seeds have a thick and durable seed coat which allows them to survive lengthy periods of immersion in seawater.
Though the legitimate name was first published as E. rheedii, it is often written as Entada rheedei, honouring Hendrik Adriaan van Rheede tot Draakestein (1637–1691).
The following subspecies have been used:
The species is employed in African traditional medicine to induce vivid dreams, enabling communication with the spirit world. The inner meat of the seed would be either consumed directly, or the meat would be chopped, dried, mixed with other herbs like tobacco and smoked just before sleep to induce the desired dreams.
The plant is also used as a topical ointment against jaundice, toothache, ulcers and to treat muscular-skeletal problems. The seeds are sought after as pieces of jewelry and as good-luck charms.
Its seeds are found on east and southern African beaches, having grown on river and estuary banks and in swamp forest. As a result of its ready dispersal by sea, Entada rheedii is widely distributed in tropical and subtropical countries, but strangely not the Americas. These include: Africa: Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Cameroon, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Zaire, Ivory Coast, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Liberia, Nigeria, Senegal, Sierra Leone, South Africa (KwaZulu-Natal), Togo, Malawi, Mozambique, Zimbabwe;
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