Khat

Khat
Catha edulis
Conservation status
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
Division:	Magnoliophyta
Class:	Magnoliopsida
Order:	Celastrales
Family:	Celastraceae
Genus:	Catha
Species:	C. edulis
Binomial name
Catha edulis (Vahl) Forssk. ex Endl.

Khat is a flowering plant native to tropical East Africa and the Arabian Peninsula. It is also known as qat, qaat, quat, gat, jaad, chat, chad, chaad and miraa. The plant is grown commercially in Kenya, Ethiopia, Oman, and Yemen.

Khat is a shrub. When grown commercially, the shrubs grow to a size of about 5m, in the wild they can reach about 20m.

Khat is used as a stimulant in Eritrea, Somalia, and Yemen the effects are comparable to those of drinking tea or coffee.