Clausena Anisata scientifically known as Horse wood is a fairly fast growing shrub belonging to the Rutaceae or Citrus family. This species is one of 25 in the genus Clausena, first described in 1768 by the Dutch botanist Nicolaas Laurens Burman, and named for the Norwegian clergyman, Peder Claussøn Friis (1545-1614), the translator of the Icelandic historian and poet, Snorri Sturluson. The plant is widespread in the Afro-tropical realm or Sub-Saharan Africa, but absent from the drier regions. It is also found in tropical and south-East Asia, growing in India and Sri Lanka and extending as far as Queensland in north-eastern Australia and some Pacific islands. It is cultivated in Malaysia and Indonesia. Apart from horse wood it is also known as Maggot killer. The plant is named for the aniseed-like scent or taste of the leaves.

Horsewood is a very neat and attractive small tree that gives off a strong scent which is considered by many to be unpleasant. When the leaves are crushed, it smells like horse urine, as its Afrikaans common name, perdepis, describes. The cause of this smell is also the reason for its numerous healing properties. The plant can become deciduous when growing in an area with a long dry season. The plant is gathered from the wild for local use as a food and medicine. Dried leaves are widely used as an arthropod repellent, such as a filling material for mattresses and pillows against fleas, lice and bedbugs. The fruits are sweet and readily eaten by people and other animals. Stem bark is pounded and used as rope.

Horsewood Facts

Horsewood Quick Facts
Name:	Horsewood
Scientific Name:	Clausena anisata
Origin	Afro-tropical realm or Sub-Saharan Africa, but absent from the drier regions
Colors	Start off green turning red or purplish-black when mature
Shapes	An ovoid, fleshy berry about 3.3 to 7 mm in diameter
Health benefits	Support for gastro-intestinal disorders, fever, pneumonia, headache, hypotension, sore throat, sinusitis, whooping cough, malaria, syphilis, kidney ailments, irregular menses, threatening abortion, skin diseases and epilepsy

Name	Horsewood
Scientific Name	Clausena anisata
Native	Widespread in the Afro-tropical realm or Sub-Saharan Africa, but absent from the drier regions. It is also found in tropical and South-East Asia, growing in India and Sri Lanka and extending as far as Queensland in north-eastern Australia and some Pacific islands. It is cultivated in Malaysia and Indonesia
Common Names	Horsewood, Maggot killer
Name in Other Languages	Amharic: Limich’I (ልምጭ) English: Horsewood, Maggot killer Japanese: Guransena a nisata (クラウセナ・アニサタ) Kurausena anisata, Kurauzena Anisata (クラウゼナ・アニサタ ) Malay: Tikusan, Tikusan daun Malayalam: Kariveppila, Kattukariveppila, Potti, Suganthaveppu (സുഗന്ധവേപ്പ്) Mizo: Arpa-til Portuguese: Clausena Shona: Muvengahonye, Muvhunambezo Sudanese: Kibajeteh Swedish: Mjavikali Tamil: Kattukarveppilai, Kattu veppilai, Pothi
Plant Growth Habit	Small, fast-growing, deciduous, evergreen shrub or small tree
Growing Climates	Moist deciduous and evergreen forests, savanna, thickets, riverine forest, disturbed areas and secondary forest
Plant Size	3–5 m tall, but it can grow up to 10 m high
Bark	Smooth, thin, grey-green bark becoming brownish and mottled with age
Branchlet	Young branchlets terete, grey pubescent
Timber	Yellowish-white, elastic and dense
Leaf	Compound leaves are up to 30 cm long and stipules are absent. Leaflets are 11–37 in number, alternate to sub-opposite, and ovate to narrowly elliptical in shape, with a markedly asymmetric, rounded or cuneate base. The leaflet apex is obtuse or notched, and the margins are entire or crenulate
Flowering season	July to November
Flower	Flowers are scented, bisexual, regular, with 4 sepals about 1 mm long, 4 petals that are 3 to 7 mm long, elliptical, concave and cream to yellowish-white
Fruit Shape & Size	Ovoid, fleshy berry, 3.3–7 mm in diameter, single-seeded
Fruit Color	Start off green turning red or purplish-black when mature
Propagation	Either stem cuttings or by sowing seeds
Plant Parts Used	Whole plant, stem, stem bark, twigs, roots, root bark, leaves and flowers singly or in combination
Season	August to January
Culinary Uses	The fruits have a sweet taste and are locally eaten.

Plant Description

Horsewood is a small, fast-growing, deciduous, evergreen shrub or small tree with strongly-scented leaves and sweet-smelling flowers that normally grows about 3–5 m tall, but it can grow up to 10 m high and appears quite spindly when young. As it matures, the Horsewood has a lovely rounded shape with compound, glossy foliage that droops slightly. The plant is found growing in moist deciduous and evergreen forests, savanna, thickets, riverine forest, disturbed areas and secondary forest. Barks are smooth, thin, grey-green becoming brownish and mottled with age. Young branchlets are round, grey velvet-hairy. Timber is yellowish-white, elastic and dense

Leaves

The 30 cm long leaves are spiral, compound, usually imparipinnate, and sometimes paripinnate, clustered at twig ends with about 11 to 37 leaflets, arranged alternately to sub-oppositely. Leaflet-stalk is about 0.2 cm long. Leaflets are 2.5-8 cm long and 1.3-3.5 cm wide, generally increase in size towards tip. The leaflets are ovate to narrowly elliptical, with a marked asymmetric, rounded base, an obtuse or notched apex and entire or toothed margins, with no stipules present at the base. The leaf surfaces are densely covered with embedded, pellucid glands that produce a strong aroma when bruised.

Flower

The inflorescence is a panicle, borne in winter and spring, from July to November in South Africa. The flowers are scented, bisexual, regular, with 4 sepals about 1 mm long, 4 petals that are 3 to 7 mm long, elliptical, concave and cream to yellowish-white. The 8 stamens have filaments 2 to 6 mm long, which are thickened at their base.

Fruit

Fertile flowers are followed by an ovoid, fleshy berry about 3.3 to 7 mm in diameter. Fruits are initially green turning to red or purplish-black when mature, containing 1 to 3 seeds, borne in spring and early summer (August to January).

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