Aspilia spp. Leaves: A puzzle in the feeding behavior of wild chimpanzees
Unlike other chimpanzee food items, the leaves ofAspilia pluriseta, A. rudis and A. mossambicensis (Compositae) are eaten without being chewed. Moreover,A. pluriseta andA. rudis are eaten slowly and singly and particularly in the early morning. This unusual behavior suggests thatAspilia leaves offer peculiar stimuli, perhaps with pharmacological effects.