Khat (Malagasy Khat)
Catha edulis
About Khat (Malagasy Khat)
Khat (Malagasy Khat) (Catha edulis) is a herb used in the Malagasy Traditional Medicine tradition to help with Fatigue, Energy, Depression, and Appetite, among 1 other condition it addresses. The aerial parts and leaves are the parts traditionally used, taken internally.
Botanical background
Khat (Catha edulis, qat from Arabic: القات) is a flowering plant native to the Horn of Africa and the Arabian Peninsula. Khat contains the alkaloid cathinone, an amphetamine-like stimulant, which is said to cause excitement, loss of appetite, and euphoria. Among communities from the areas where the plant is native, khat chewing has a history as a social custom dating back thousands of years analogous to the use of coca leaves in South America and betel...
Source: Wikipedia, via iNaturalist