Aerva lanata (L.) Schultes

BACKGROUND, ORIGIN AND DISTRIBUTION

Francisco Manuel Blanco (O.S.A.) - Flora de Filipinas [...] Gran edicion [...] [Atlas II].[1]

Widespread in the tropics and subtropics of the world, from West Africa to Egypt and south to South Africa. Widespread in Kenya in open grassland, seasonally waterlogged areas, roadsides, forest edges and rocky areas. 

USES AND ETHNOBOTANY

Leaves are eaten as a vegetable in parts of East Africa (Giriama, Duruma, Chonyi).

Medicinally a decoction of the leaves is used for bating babies suffering from Malaria. The whole plant is also used as a chicken feed (Digo) and the white wool from the plant is used for stuffing pillows (Tharaka)

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