Skip to main content

Ampelocissus obtusata

(Welw. ex Baker) Planch.

Wild grape

iNaturalist· cc-by-nc

(c) Peter Erb, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by Peter Erb

iNaturalist· cc-by-nc

(c) Troos van der Merwe, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC)

iNaturalist· cc-by-nc

(c) Troos van der Merwe, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC)

Description

A climbing herb. It keeps growing from year to year. It grows 2 m tall. The leaves have 3 to 5 leaflets. The leaflets are leathery and there are irregular teeth along the edge. The flowers are in dense compact heads. These are on long stalks. The flowers are red and with yellow anthers. The fruit are small and red. They are tart but edible.

Edible Uses

The ripe fruit are eaten fresh.

Traditional Uses

The ripe fruit are eaten.

This uses section is brief — help expand it

Distribution

A tropical plant. It grows in woodland areas and rocky outcrops.

Where It Grows

Africa, East Africa, Mozambique, Southern Africa, Zambia, Zimbabwe,

Notes

There are about 95 Ampelocissus species.

Synonyms

Ampelocissus aesculifolia Gilg. & M. BrandtAmpelocissus arcuata (Welw. ex Baker) Planch.Ampelocissus brunneorubra Gilg.Ampelocissus quercifolia (Rolfe) Gilg & M. BrandtVitis arcuata Welwitsch ex BakerVitis obtusata Welw. ex BakerVitis obtusata var. quercifolia Rolfe

Also Known As

Munsansa, Muzambiringa

References (4)

  • Malaisse, F., 1997, Se nourrir en floret claire africaine. Approche ecologique et nutritionnelle. CTA., p 57
  • Malaisse, F., 2010, How to live and survive in Zambezian open forest (Miombo Ecoregion). Les Presses Agronomiques de Gembloux.
  • Maroyi, A., 2011, The Gathering and Consumption of Wild Edible Plants in Nhema Communal Area, Midlands Province, Zimbabwe. Ecology of Food and Nutrition 50:6, 506-525
  • Maroyi, A. & Cheikhyoussef, A., 2017, Traditional knowledge of wild edible fruit in southern Africa: A comparative use patterns in Namibia and Zimbabwe. Indian Journal of Traditional Knowledge. 16(3): 385-392

More from Vitaceae