Akamongot, Anvara
Leptadenia hastata

Family: Apocynaceae

What it is like

Found in tropical Africa particularly in Senegal to Ethiopia, Uganda, and Kenya, Leptadenia hastata is a climbing shrub producing many soft stems that become woody at the base. It thrives well under harsh and dry, and poor soil conditions. Established plants are tolerant to drought. The leaves are alternate and taper towards the tip. The stems are light green and young shoots curve upwards. The flowers are greenish-yellow. The fruits are cone-shaped which release cottony winged seeds as they split open. Young leaves, young shoots, and flowers are cooked and added to soups. Young shoot tips are sometimes eaten raw. The plant further has medicinal uses. It contains a milky sap that has a wide variety of uses for treating different conditions. The fruits are dried and used as a tinder.

Leptadenia hastata is an evergreen Perennial Climber growing to 1.5 m (5ft) by 0.2 m (0ft 8in) at a medium rate. See above for USDA hardiness. It is hardy to UK zone 10. Suitable for: light (sandy), medium (loamy) and heavy (clay) soils, prefers well-drained soil and can grow in nutritionally poor soil. Suitable pH: mildly acid and neutral soils. It cannot grow in the shade. It prefers dry or moist soil and can tolerate drought.

Height (m): 1.5

Where it is found

Dry savannah in semi-arid areas.

Tropical Africa - Senegal to Ethiopia, Uganda and Kenya.

Conservation Status: This taxon has not yet been assessed

Countries/locations it is found in

Africa, Benin, Botswana, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Central Africa, Chad, Congo, Côte d'Ivoire, East Africa, Egypt, Ethiopia, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinée, Guinea-Bissau, Ivory Coast, Kenya, Madagascar, Mali, Mauritania, Niger, Nigeria, North Africa, Senegal, Southern Africa, South Sudan, Sudan, Togo, Uganda, West Africa,

How it is used

Food

Rating: 4

Young leaves and young shoots - cooked and added to soups. The young shoot-tips are sometimes eaten raw. The chopped and boiled leaves are mixed with beans, pigeon peas or cowpeas. The leaves of plants grown at Dakar have been analysed as containing: carbohydrates 46%, protein 18%, ash 14%, oil 6% by weight. Calcium was present at 2.06%, potassium 1.74%, with magnesium, sodium, phosphorous and numerous minor elements, the principal one being iron, and amino-acids. Flowers - cooked and added to soups. In a survey on the preference for 14 wild herbaceous vegetables that was held in Burkina Faso in 1999, this species ranked 3rd; its taste was considered good, and its tolerance of drought, insects and poor soil conditions as very good.

Medicine

Rating: 3

The plant contains a milky sap and this has lead, by allusion, to it being used in the treatment of a wide range of ailments symptomized by discharges, or a lack of them. The plant is very strongly diuretic and generally strongly stimulates the flow of urine. In it also often used with a range of other plants to treat various conditions, including treating suckling babies who have green diarrhoea; for all vein troubles such as varicose veins, bleeding and painful haemorrhoids; poisonings; anuria; syphilis; leprosy; trypanosomiasis, etc. In short, it is used as a general panacea. Combined with the root of Smilax spp., it is used to treat for tertiary syphilis. The latex contains the triterpene lupeol and derivatives of it, which possess anti-inflammatory activity. The sap, or the whole leaf-petiole rolled up into a spill, is put in the nose as a treatment for head-colds and head pains. The latex is put on wounds. The sap, or the root in decoction, is used for treating ophthalmia. A root macerate is taken to treat anuria or constipation.The powdered roots in water are taken as a stomachic. A macerate or decoction of the whole plant is used to treat urethral discharge, abdominal complaints. A macerate or decoction of the leaves is used to remedy a lack of breast-milk, impotence, gonorrhoea and stomach-ache in children.

Antidiarrhoeal: Provides symptomatic relief for diarrhoea. Also see Astringent.

Antihaemorrhoidal: Treats haemorrhoids (piles). This would probably be best added to another heading.

Antiinflammatory: Reduces inflammation of joints, injuries etc.

Diuretic: Acts on the kidneys, promoting the flow of urine.

Laxative: Stimulates bowel movements in a fairly gentle manner.

Leprosy: Used to treat leprosy - a chronic bacterial infection of the skin and superficial nerves (in the skin) caused by Mycobacterium leprae.

Ophthalmic: Treats eye complaints.

Stomachic: Aids and improves the action of the stomach.

Other

Rating: 2

Other Uses A fibre, without recorded use, can be obtained from the stem. The dried fruits are used as a tinder.

Fibre: Used for making cloth, rope, paper etc.

Tinder: Used for starting fires. See also Kindling.

How it is grown

A plant of semi-arid areas in the tropics. Succeeds in poor soil conditions. Established plants are drought tolerant.

Propagating it: Seed -

Best place to grow:

Habit: Perennial Climber

Hardiness: 10-12

Growth: Medium

Soil: Light (sandy), medium, heavy (clay)

Shade: No shade

Moisture: Dry, moist

Things to keep in mind

Its other names

Local names

Akamongot, Anvara, Akamongot, Anvara, Be-thacare, Bissacra, Cheila, Chesakisyon, Cibode, Kayilla, Lelogo, M'bafecabuduco, Meta, Metsa, Moroh, Ndedeweck, N'rocde, Njera, Safaro, Safarodje, Sapate, Xeyla, Ya'diya, akamongot, anvara, chesakisyon, ekamong'o, lélogo, moroh.

Synonyms

Cynanchum hastatum Pers. Cynanchum lanceolatum Poir. Cynanchum lancifolium Schumach. Cynanchum scabr