Scientific Name :Desmodium Intortum Vernacular Name : Ituza Family name : Ituza Geographic Distribution :: Fron antilla, and becomind subspontaneous in Rwanda, loving to grow in wet areas.
Botanical Description A robust taprooted perennial herb with trailing stems and stolons to several meters long. Stems form roots in contact with moist soil and may scramble, but not twine, over the surrounding vegetation, they are grooved, often reddish in color, densely covered withshort hairs, glandular, sticky to the touch. Leaves with 3 leaflets, petiole up to 5 cm long, leaflets usually ovate, 3-12 cm x 1.3-7 cm , the lateral ones smaller than the terminal. Inflorescence a quite dense terminal or axillary panicle up to 30 cm long, flowers pink to purple, 8 mm long, borne in pairs within the axils of caduceus bbracts. Pod 115-50 mm x 3-4 mm, curved, up to 12-articulate, covered with short hooked hairs and hence adhering to animal and clothing.
Medicinal Use Is an important medical plant, the leaves are used to treat anorexia, stomach ulcer and hepatitis. Leaves maceration made of a mixture of other madicinal plants involving Desmodium Intortum is used to treat liver diseases by Mitali Emmanuel in Rutsiro district
Other Use Green leaf Desmodium is mostly utilized as a pasture legume in mixed sowings with grasses. It can also be cut for use as fresh fodder or hay or made into silage.
