Also known as Turbina oblongata, the Ipomoea oblongata is commonly found in the grasslands and savanna through eastern South and subtropical Africa. One sees is as a stretched out creeper flat on the ground with huge perennial roots and magenta flowers that look like a morning glory.
It is a perennial herb with tuberous roots that grow up to 1 m long, and annual stems that grow up to 2 m long. I only notice them when the flowers are out.
The leaf blades vary in size and shape, being usually oblong or elliptic and both surfaces of the leaf are hairy. It is a popular plant used for diverse therapeutic uses in South African folk medicine, treating arthritis being one of them. It may be difficult for some overseas readers to believe, but it is also widely used to protect people from the Tokoloshe.
In Nguni mythology, the Tokoloshe is a dwarf-like water spirit that can be both mischievous and evil. It is believed that it can become invisible by drinking water or swallowing a stone. The problem with Tokoloshes is that they can occasionally be called upon by malevolent people to cause trouble for others. To this end, some believers actually place their beds on bricks so that they will be too high for the Tokoloshe to reach them at night.
Something Over Tea 