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Mesembryanthemum tortuosum
1753Summary
Mesembryanthemum tortuosum or Sceletium tortuosum, commonly known as kanna, channa, kougoed, or Namaqua skeletonfig, is a succulent plant in the family Aizoaceae, native to the Cape Provinces of South Africa. Traditionally, it has been fermented and chewed as kougoed—an Afrikaans term meaning 'chewable thing'—by the indigenous Khoisan peoples for its psychoactive effects. The plant contains several active alkaloids, particularly mesembrine. It has likely been used by South African pastoralists and hunter-gatherers for thousands of years. The first written account of its use dates to 1662, recorded by Jan van Riebeeck. The dried plant was traditionally chewed with the saliva swallowed. It has also been prepared in various forms, including gel caps, teas, tinctures, snuff, and smoked. In traditional medicine, it is primarily used to alleviate stress, depression, pain, and hunger. It is currently classified as a species of least concern, though wild populations face pressure from overharv......read more on Wikipedia.
Climate
What environment does Mesembryanthemum tortuosum prefer?
| Place | Rain (24h) | Sun | Humidity Hum. | Wind | |
| Loading... | 0.8in | 918umol | 64% | 4mph | |
| Loading... | 1.2in | 12umol | 84% | 9mph | |
| Loading... | 0in | 18umol | 81% | 11mph | |
Natural Habitat
Where does Mesembryanthemum tortuosum grow?
Observations
History
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Proteins
Traditional Uses
There's also wisdom in how different civilizations used plants throughout the millenia.
And some people put tremendous effort into collecting and preserving it.
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