Cynanchum insipidum

Description

A climbing herb that keeps growing from year to year. It has milky sap. It grows 8 m long. The stems arise at intervals from a long rhizome or underground stem. The stems are 2-3 m long and the leaves are opposite and have leaf stalks. The leaves are oval or heart shaped. The leaves are 1-5 cm long. There are rounded lobes at the base. The flowers are small and yellow-green. They are in the axils of leaves. They usually occur singly. The flowers are in 2.5-8 cm long groups. The fruits are dry. They are 2.5-8 cm long. They are covered with small soft spines.

Edible Uses

The leaves are cooked as a vegetable, used in vegetable dishes, relishes, and chutneys, or pounded and eaten raw. Young fruits are eaten raw, cooked in vegetable dishes, or roasted in ashes, with the outer layer being the edible part. The stems and tendrils are used in savoury foods. The leaves and fruit are important vegetables, with young leaves containing 16.1 mg/100 gm vitamin C.

Traditional Uses

The leaves are cooked and eaten. They are also used in vegetable dishes and in relishes and chutneys. They are also pounded and eaten raw. It is a common attractive food. The young fruit are eaten raw. They are also cooked in vegetable dishes. They are also roasted in ashes. It is the outer layer of the fruit that is eaten. The stems and tendrils are used in savoury foods.

Distribution

A tropical plant. It grows on river banks. It grows in areas with a marked dry season. In southern Africa it grows from sea level to 2,200 m altitude. It is most common between 600-1,600 m above sea level. It can grow in arid places. It does not tolerate extremes of wet or dry.

Where It Grows

Africa, Botswana, Cameroon, Central Africa, East Africa, Eritrea, Eswatini, Ethiopia, Kenya, Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, Somalia, South Africa, Southern Africa, Sudan, Swaziland, Tanzania, West Africa, Zambia, Zimbabwe,

Cultivation

It can be easily grown from seeds.

Production

It grows quickly.

Other Information

The fruit are eaten especially by children. The leaves and fruit are important vegetables.

Notes

There are only 2 Pentarrhinum species. Young leaves Vitamin C is 16.1 mg/100 gm. Also put in the family Asclepiadaceae.

Synonyms

Also Known As

African silkvine, Aulana, Chindewe, Donkieperske, Furana, Kakolo-wozi, Kokordota, Kokorpha, Kordota, Langarboi, Leeshah, Lefotosane, Leswa, Leswe, Lewa, Lobohoe, Mphyamafi, Phulule, Umulugwe, Xayaab

References (32)

• Addis, G., et al, 2013, Dietary values of wild and semi-wild edible plants in Southern Ethiopia. African Journal of Food, Agriculture, Nutrition and Development. 13(2) (As Pentarrhinum insipidum)
• Addis, G., Asfaw, Z & Woldu, Z., 2013, Ethnobotany of Wild and Semi-wild Edible Plants of Konso Ethnic Community, South Ethiopia. Ethnobotany Research and Applications. 11:121-141 (As Pentarrhinum insipidum)
• Addis, G., et al, 2013, The Role of Wild and Semi-wild Edible Plants in Household Food Sovereignty in Hamer and Konso Communities, South Ethiopia. Ethnobotany Research & Applications. 11:251-271 (As Pentarrhinum insipidum)
• Arnold, T.H., Wells, M.J. & Wehmeyer, A.S., Khoisan food plants: taxa with potential for future economic exploitation, in Wickens, G.E., Goodin, J.R., and Field, D.V.,(Eds.) 1985, Plants for Arid Lands. Unwin Hyman, London, p 73 (As Pentarrhinum insipidum)
• Balemie, K., & Kebebew, F., 2006, Ethnobotanical study of wild edible plants in Derashe and Kucha Districts, South Ethiopia. Journal of Ethnobiology and Ethnomedicine. (As Pentarrhinum insipidum)

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