Uzara

Uzara is a lactiferous perennial up to 1 m high. Lanceolate, rough leaves, umbellate flowers. Tuber with strongly thickened lateral roots. Plant species within the silk plant subfamily (Asclepiadoideae). Its distribution area is in South Africa.

The root is used phytotherapeutically, Uzarae radix.

Uzara is a perennial, upright growing plant that can reach heights of up to one meter. After an initial strong thickening, it develops numerous lateral roots. Its hairy shoot axis usually reaches a diameter of up to 3 cm and contains a lot of latex. The leathery leaves of the plant are between 7 and 15 cm long.
The inflorescence contains up to twelve flowers. The bellow fruits are up to 7 cm long and open when they reach maturity.

Xysmalobium undulatum is the parent plant of Uzarae radix, the dried root of the Uzara plant monogrpahized by the Commission E.

1. Wenigmann M.(2017) Phytotherapie Arzneidrogen Phytopharmaka Anwendung. Urban & Fischer: 5.115 Tormentilla rootstock (Tormentillae rhizoma) p 207-208
2. https://www.awl.ch/heilpflanzen/xysmalobium-undulatum/uzara.htm