Khat or qat, botanical name catha edulis, is a flowering plant native to eastern and southern Africa.
Known also as qat or gat in Yemen, qaat or jaad in Somalia, and chat in Ethiopia, the plant has evergreen leaves that are 5 to 10 cm long and 1 to 4 cm wide.
For centuries, khat have been cultivated for use of its leaves as a stimulant in the Horn of Africa and the Arabian Peninsula.
Chewing khat leaves has a history of social practice among local people dating back thousands of years, similar to the use of coca leaves in South America and betel nut in Asia.
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