Mbohoya, Mwungo-wungo.
Ancylobotrys petersiana
Family: Apocynaceae
What it is like
Mbohoya, Ancylobothrys petersiana, is a tropical, evergreen shrub that climbs over trees and bushes for up to 6 m or more high. The leaves are narrowly oval and leathery and the flowers are white or cream with a distinguished sweet scent. The fruit are yellow or orange when ripe. The raw fruit is edible and best eaten when ripe or nearly ripe. The fruit is round-like with numerous seeds embedded in the soft, fleshy pulp that tastes like guava. The fruit juice is sweetened with sugar. The stem is used for ropes due its flexible characteristic and it also is a source of white latex. Plant is grown from seeds or root suckers.
Ancylobotrys petersiana is an evergreen Climber growing to 6 m (19ft) by 6 m (19ft) at a fast rate. See above for USDA hardiness. It is hardy to UK zone 10 and is frost tender. Suitable for: light (sandy), medium (loamy) and heavy (clay) soils and prefers well-drained soil. Suitable pH: mildly acid, neutral and basic (mildly alkaline) soils. It can grow in semi-shade (light woodland) or no shade. It prefers dry or moist soil and can tolerate drought.
Height (m): 6
Where it is found
In dune scrub, among boulders on rocky hillsides, in mixed woodland. Open bushland or woodland, coastal evergreen forest, dry forest, at elevations from sea level to 400 metres.
Eastern Africa - Somalia and Kenya, south to S. Africa.
Conservation Status: This taxon has not yet been assessed.
Countries/locations it is found in
Found In: Africa, East Africa, Kenya, Madagascar, Malawi, Mozambique, South Africa, Southern Africa, Somalia, Tanzania, Zambia, Zimbabwe.
How it is used
Food
Rating: 4
Fruit - raw. The pulpy flesh is delicious. The flavour has been likened to guavas. The fruit is more or less round, with numerous seeds embedded in the soft pulp. It is eaten when both ripe and nearly ripe. The ripe fruit is eaten skin and all, but the semi-ripe fruit must be first peeled. The pulp of the fruit is soaked in water, squeezed and filtered. The juice is then sweetened with sugar and drunk after being cooled. It is also frozen and eaten as iced blocks. The fruit is around 5cm in diameter, yellow or light orange when fully ripe. Fruit can be stored for about 2 weeks.
Medicine
Rating: 0
Other
Rating: 2
Other uses rating: Low (2/5). Other Uses: The stem produces a white latex, which is tapped and used for making balls. The stems are flexible and used for ropes.
Latex: A source of rubber.
String: Plants that can be used for string or can be easily made into a string. See also Fibre. Plants for ropes may be included.
Food Forest: Plants for Edible Forest Gardens and Food Forests.
How it is grown
The plant produces sweetly-scented white flowers.
Propagating it: Seed and Root suckers.
Best place to grow:
Habit: Climber
Hardiness: 10-12
Growth: Fast
Soil: Light (sandy), medium, heavy (clay)
Shade: Semi-shade, no shade
Moisture: Dry, moist
Things to keep in mind
Its other names
Local names
Other Names: Macava, Macera, Mbohoya, Mbooya, Mtoria, Mtowe, Muhonga, Muhonga-udide, Mutiele, Mutongazi, Mutungazi, Rava, Vibooya, Vitoja, Vitoria.
Synonyms
Ancylobotrys rotundifolia (Dew?vre) Pierre Landolphia angustifolia K.Schum. ex Engl. Landolphia mont