From December 1991 to June 1992 an ethnobotanical survey was conducted in collaboration with the Topnaar. All Topnaar settlements of the Kuiseb area and Sesfontein were visited and all families interviewed. Special emphasis was placed on the older Topnaar, whose plant knowledge is the most extensive. For each plant mentioned information on its use, the used parts and the preparation and processing method was collected. The plant specimens that could be collected in the field were identificd by the authors. Keywords: Namibia, Namib Desert, Kuiseb River, desert flora, arid environment, food plants, medicinal plants, indigenous food, !nara, Acanthosicyos horridus ACCESSION NUMBER: 581.9'688 VAN.