Stellenbosch University Botanical Garden, South Africa

Common name: kankerbos, balloon pea, cancer bush, Sutherlandia, uMnwele

Family: Fabaceae (Pea)

Synonym: Colutea frutescens, Sutherlandia frutescens

Distribution: Southern Africa

IUCN Red list: Not evaluated

National red list: Least Concern

Comments: This plant is one of the most talked about in the ethnobotanical world because it has a strong reputation as a cure for cancer and now increasingly as an immune booster in the treatment of HIV/AIDS. Research on its properties is ongoing. Sutherlandia should not be regarded as a miracle cure for cancer, its real benefits are as a tonic that will assist the body to mobilize its own resources to cope with the illness.