Vigna friesiorum

Verdc.

Fabaceae Edible: Tuber, Root, Fruit, Pods

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Meise Botanic Garden

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Meise Botanic Garden

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MBG

Description

A small erect herb. It has many branches. It grows 20-30 cm high. It grows from a narrow tuber. The tuber is 15-25 cm long by 2 cm wide. It is reddish brown on the surface. The stems are weak. The leaves have long narrow leaflets. The leaves have long leaf stalks. The leaflets are slightly hairy and do not have lobes.

Edible Uses

The root tuber is peeled and chewed for its sweet sap. The tuber, root, fruit, and pods are edible.

Traditional Uses

The root tuber is peeled and chewed for its sweet sap.

This uses section is brief — help expand it

Medicinal Uses

The root tuber is chewed for its sweet sap.

Distribution

It is a tropical plant. In Kenya it grows between 400-1,700 m altitude. It is in grassland usually on red clay.

Where It Grows

Africa, East Africa, Ethiopia, Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda,

Cultivation

Plants are grown from seeds.

Synonyms

Vigna friesiorum var. angustifolia Verdc.Vigna friesiorum var. ulugurensis (Harms) Verdc.Vigna ulugurensis Harms

Also Known As

Camee hoolaa, Olgisoyiai

References (3)

Gemedo-Dalle, T., et al, 2005, Plant Biodiversity and Ethnobotany of Borana Pastoralists in Southern Oromia, Ethiopia. Economic Botany 59(1) pp. 43-65 (As Vigna friesiorum)
Maundu, P. et al, 1999, Traditional Food Plants of Kenya. National Museum of Kenya. 288p
Mutie, F. M., et al, 2023, Important Medicinal and Food Taxa (Orders and Families) in Kenya, Based on Three Quantitative Approaches. Plants 2023, 12, 1145