Medicinal Plants of Namibia | Page 11

This!plant!develops!dioecious!flowers!in!which!the!male!and!female!reproductive!
parts!live!on!separate!flowers6.!!These!bellSshaped!flowers,!that!blossom!every!
October,!eventually!become!spiny!spherical!fruit!that!can!grow!as!large!as!a!
grapefruit13.!!The!fruit,!interestingly!enough,!can!be!found!on!the!plant!yearSround13.!!
The!fruit,!also!called!melons,!can!grow!to!be!a!diameter!of!15!cm38.!!!!
!
Governmental(protection(status:((
As!an!endemic!species,!A.&horridus!is!protected!by!the!Forestry!Ordinance6.!
(
Indigenous(medicinal(use:!!
Root!sap,!in!combination!with!something!sweet!to!offset!bitterness,!helps!relieve!
digestive!pain47.!!Decoction!of!taproot!releases!excess!fluid!retention!in!the!urinary!
tract47.!!The!San!use!the!melon!of!!nara!to!access!water!to!mix!with!their!herbal!
treatments20.!!The!Bushmen!also!rely!on!it!as!a!food!source!so!they!follow!the!plant’s!
seasonal!development20.!!
(
(