Telfairia pedata

Telfairia pedata, commonly known as oysternut (alternately spelled as 'oyster nut', etc.), queen's nut, Zanzibar oilvine (alternately spelled as 'oil vine', etc.), kweme or kulekula, is a dioecious African liana which can grow up to 30 metres long, having purple-pink fringed flowers, and very large (30–90 cm × 15–25 cm), many-seeded, drooping, ellipsoid berries which can weigh up to 15 kg (though one old source from 1882 claimed up to 60 lbs). It is valuable for having edible fruit, seeds and oil.

Description

A pumpkin family plant. It is a climbing woody vine. It can be 30 m or more long. It has fleshy roots. The leaves are smooth and alternate. They are divided into 5-7 leaflets like fingers on a hand. Male and female flowers are on separate plants. The flowers are purple. The seeds are inside a long gourd like a pumpkin. The seeds are flat and round. They are 4 cm across and 1 cm thick. There can be 500 seeds in a fruit.

Edible Uses

The seeds can be eaten raw or cooked and have a soft but firm texture with an excellent flavour, making them suitable as a substitute for almonds or brazil nuts in confectionery as well as in a variety of local food dishes. They are usually roasted before eating. Each seed is irregularly circular, about 4cm in diameter and 12mm thick, and is easily extracted from its shell. Seeds contain about 30% protein and up to 61% oil. They can be stored in their shells for several years without spoiling. To remove any bitterness, whole seeds can be soaked for 8 hours in 3 changes of water. To extract the kernel, first partially cut away the fibrous husk, then crack and open the shell with a knife. An oil pressed from the seed has a pleasant, slightly sweet flavour and makes a good cooking oil. It is important to remove the husk before extracting the oil, as it contains an intensely bitter substance that can contaminate the final product.

Traditional Uses

The seeds are usually roasted and eaten. They can be eaten raw. They are a substitute for almonds in confectionary. They can also be pressed for oil, which is edible if the shells have been removed. The leaves and young shoots are commonly eaten as a pot herb.

Medicinal Uses

The seeds are valued for their galactagogue properties and are widely sought by mothers who consume them shortly after childbirth as a tonic to regain strength and improve milk flow. The oil extracted from the seeds is used medicinally for stomach complaints and rheumatism.

Distribution

It is a tropical plant. It cannot tolerate frost when young. In Malawi it is cultivated at about 1,200 m altitude. It can grow from sea level to 2,000 m altitude.

Where It Grows

Africa, Asia, Burundi, Central Africa, Congo, Côte d'Ivoire, East Africa, Egypt, India, Ivory Coast, Kenya, Madagascar, Malawi, Mauritius, Mozambique, Rwanda, Southern Africa, Tanzania, West Africa, Zambia,

Cultivation

Plants are easily grown from fresh seed. Seed germinate in a week. The soft ripe fruit falls from the plant and bursts releasing the nuts. There are 100-400 seeds per fruit.

Propagation

Seed has short viability and is best sown as soon as it is ripe. Repeated soaking and drying promotes germination. Seeds can be sown in situ or in containers. The drip line of trees is a favoured planting site. When sowing in containers, place 2–3 seeds per container and thin to the strongest seedling after germination. Germination usually occurs within 7–14 days, and seedlings are ready for planting out about 30 days after germinating. Layering is very easy. Stem cuttings root in 2–3 weeks and produce shoots 6–7 weeks after planting.

Other Uses

Oysternut is part of the rich agroforestry systems of Mount Meru and Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania, where it is grown alongside coffee and banana. The oil from the seeds can be used to make soap, candles and cosmetics. The fibrous husk of the seed is sometimes used for polishing traditional earthenware pots.

Production

Plants grow vigorously. Fruit are produced in the seventh year. Fruit can be 12 kg each and there can be several fruit per vine.

Other Information

It is a commercially cultivated vegetable. It is sold in local markets. It is cultivated.

Nutrition

Synonyms

Also Known As

Chitando, Cungo, Fluted cucumber, Kweme, Matandu, Ng'eme, Nkungu, Zanzibar oil-vine

References (29)

• Ambasta, S.P. (Ed.), 2000, The Useful Plants of India. CSIR India. p 624
• Bot. Mag. 54: t. 2751-52. 1827
• Edwards. S., et al, (Eds), 1995, Flora of Ethiopia and Eritrea. Vol.2, Part 2 Canellaceae to Euphorbiaceae. Uppsala, Sweden. p 62
• Esquinas-Alcazar, et al, 1983, Genetic Resources of Cucurbitaceae. International Board of Plant Genetic Resources.
• FAO, 1988, Traditional Food Plants, FAO Food and Nutrition Paper 42. FAO Rome p 486

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