Common Name: Slender Celery

General Information

Cyclospermum leptophyllum is a spreading to erect, sparsely to much-branched, annual plant growing from a taproot; it can grow around 50cm tall[].
The plant is harvested from the wild for local use as a medicine and a food.
This species has become widely naturalised as a weed in Tropical and warm Temperate regions[, ].

Known Hazards

There are reports that the plant is toxic to mammals[].

Botanical References

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Range

Possibly originally native to Brazil, the plant has become a weed through most of the tropics, extending into the warmer regions of the temperate zone

Habitat

Wet to dry thickets or fields, frequently in pine-oak forest, often in waste or cultivated ground; at elevations from 900 - 2,300 metres[]. Ditches and low areas, disturbed sites, in Texas[]. A weed of cultivation and waste places[].

Properties

Weed Potential	Yes
Edibility Rating
Medicinal Rating
Habit	Annual
Height	0.50 m
Cultivation Status	Wild

Cultivation Details

Cyclospermum leptophyllum was probably originally native to S. America (most likely Brazil), but has spread as a weed of disturbed ground and can now be found through most of the tropics, extending into the warmer temperate regions such as New Zealand, southern Australia, southern Europe and southern N. America.

Edible Uses

The leaves are used as a parsley substitute, though they occasionally have an acrid flavour[]. Caution is advised, see notes above on toxicity[].

Medicinal

The leaves are used in Ethiopia to treat a condition known as 'Mitch', which is characterized mainly by inflammation, sweating and loss of appetite.

The essential oil of the plant is used as a mild balm in stomachic complaints and for the treatment of diarrhoea[]. The essential oil elicits strong antifungal activity against Candida albicans and moderate activity against Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria[].

The essential oil contains a wide range of compounds, the most prominent of which are 2,5-Dimethoxy-p-cymene (46.8%); thymol, methyl ether (14.6%); p-cymene (13.9%); gamma-terpinene (8.9%); carvacrol methyl ether (7.5%). In trials, the essential oil has shown moderate to good activity against gram-positive bacteria[]. It has also shown strong activity against various gram-negative bacteria, especially Erwinia herbicola[].

Other Uses

An essential oil can be obtained from all parts of the plant. It is used medicinally[].

Propagation

Seed