Scientific Name :Ranuncullus multifidus
Vernacular Name :Ingirarubanda, Kazingashya
Family name :Ingirarubanda, Kazingashya
Geographic Distribution :wet places near the rivers and streams in mountain forest, glassland, 1600 – 2400 m above sea level.
Botanical Description
Erect herb, 1-1.2 m tall, rarely stems prostrate and rooting at the nodes, pilose. Leaves variable, up to 6 cm long with 3-pinnatisect leaflets, leaflets coarsery or irregularly dentate, hirsute. Flowers yellow 1.2-1.4 cm in diameter, sepals reflexed. Fruit with numerous nuts bearing a persistent beak.
Medicinal Use
In Rwanda, Ranunculus multifidus is an important medicinal plant. The leaves are used against poisoning, cyst and sciatica. They are furthermore used to treat gonorrhea, wounds, sprains, haemorrhagy and syphilis. Misago Matthias practices the traditional herbal medicine in the southern Province; Gisagara district confirmed the use of Ranunculus multifidus leaves in the treatment of pounding headache and migraine as well as the eye diseases. He further added he mixes with with Ishyoza and Rosmarinus officinalis for efficiency of the treatment of headache. Leaves of this plant are used togerter with Pentas lanceolata, Datura stramonium, Albizia grandibractea, gladiolus psittanicus and Capsicum frutescens to treat nerves related diseses (Uwimana Beatha). In Uganda, roots are pounded and boiled in water, and the decoction drunk 2-3 times daily as an emetic. But the plant has been reported as poisonous to sheep.