Flowers are followed by long pods which produce numerous seeds with silky plumes that aid in wind dispersal.

[5] The environmental range of the species is very broad, extending from rainforest margins and monsoon forests[5] to arid deserts.

[10][12][13] In Kenya, it is considered quality forage; in Somalia and South Africa the stems are eaten by humans, either raw or cooked.

[3] The plant has been used as a traditional medicine to treat a range of conditions, including sores and wounds, smallpox, eye infections, diarrhoea, intestinal and skin parasites and insufficient milk production.

[3][15] Care is usually required because of the poisonous and caustic nature of the sap, however in some locales toxicity is considered low, at least for part of the year.