Veldt Grape
Cissus quadrangularis

Family: Vitaceae

What it is like

Also known as Devil's Backbone, Adamant Creeper, and Pirandai, Veldt Grape or Cissus quadrangularis is a deciduous, succulent, climbing perennial plant that reaches up to 3 m long. The leaves are toothed and trilobe, and occur only on the nodes of young shoots. The small green or yellow flowers form into clusters. The fruit is red to black and round. The plant is tolerant to drought and can be used for xeriscaping. It is grown from stem cuttings. Medicinally, it is used in the treatment of asthma, hemorrhoids, wounds, broken bones, boils, burns, rheumatic pains, and indigestion. The young stems are cooked. The leaves and young shoots are used in the preparation of curries and poppadoms. The fruits are eaten and the seeds are used for cooking oil. Ash of the plant is used as a substitute for baking powder.

Cissus quadrangularis is an evergreen Climber growing to 5 m (16ft) by 0.5 m (1ft 8in) at a fast 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, neutral and basic (mildly alkaline) soils and can grow in very acid and very alkaline soils. It cannot grow in the shade. It prefers dry or moist soil and can tolerate drought.

Height (m): 5

Where it is found

Scrub; thicket; Acacia woodland; grassland with scattered Combretum etc; termite mounds; riverine thicket; coastal forest edges; sandy banks of rivers; outwash gully in dense mixed thicket; at elevations from near sea level to 2,250 metres in Africa

Throughout tropical Africa; through the Arabian Peninsula to the Indian subcontinent, Myanmar, Thailand, Indonesia and Philippines.

Conservation Status: This taxon has not yet been assessed

Countries/locations it is found in

Found In: Africa, Angola, Arabia, Asia, Australia, Bangladesh, Benin, Botswana, Burkina Faso, Cambodia, Cameroon, Central Africa, Central African Republic, CAR, Chad, Congo, Cote d'Ivoire, East Africa, Egypt, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Gabon, Gambia, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Hawaii, India, Indochina, Indonesia, Ivory Coast, Kenya, Laos, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Mali, Mozambique, Myanmar, Namibia, Nigeria, North Africa, Northeastern India, Pacific, Pakistan, Philippines, SE Asia, Senegal, Somalia, South Africa, Southern Africa, Sri Lanka, South Sudan, Sudan, Swaziland, Tanzania, Thailand, Uganda, USA, Vietnam, West Africa, Zambia, Zimbabwe.

How it is used

Food

Rating: 2

Young green stems - cooked. Usually fried or curried. The leaves and young shoots are used in the preparation of poppadoms and curries. Fruit. The ash of the plant is used as a substitute for baking powder.

Stem: this often intergrades into leaves.

Medicine

Rating: 4

An infusion of the plant is antifungal and anthelmintic. The pulped stem is given in the treatment of asthma; is used as an alterative in cases of amenorrhoea; and is given in the treatment of haemorrhoids. The leaves or young stems are analgesic and also speed the rate of healing. They are crushed and applied as a poultice to ease the pain of broken bones; for the maturation of boils; to cure wounds and burns; to ease the pain of rheumatic joints; and also as a treatment for saddle sores on horses. The powdered dry roots are used for treating indigestion. The powdered root is considered to be a specific in the treatment of fractured bones.

Analgesic: Relieves pain.

Anthelmintic: Expels parasites from the gut.

Antiasthmatic: Treats asthma.

Antifungal: An agent that inhibits or destroys fungi. Used in the treatment of various fungal problems such as candida.

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

Antirheumatic: Treats rheumatism.

Poultice: A moist, usually warm or hot, mass of plant material applied to the skin in the treatment of burns etc.

Other

Rating: 2

Other uses rating: Low (2/5). Agroforestry Uses: The plant is sometimes grown to stabilize sand dunes. The plant can be grown to form a hedge. Other Uses: The stems and roots yield a strong fibre.

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

Hedge: Plants that can be grown as hedges.

Soil stabilization: Plants that can be grown in places such as sand dunes in order to prevent erosion by wind, water or other agents.

Hedge: Hedge

How it is grown

A plant of drier to arid regions, mainly in the lowland tropics and frost-free subtropics, though it can also be found at elevations over 2,000 metres. The plant is intolerant of any frost. Succeeds in full sun to light shade. Succeeds in most soils but prefers a loam.

Propagating it: Layers very easily. Easily grown from stem cuttings.

Best place to grow:

Habit: Climber

Hardiness: 10-12

Growth: Fast

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

Shade: No shade

Moisture: Dry, moist

Things to keep in mind

Its other names

Local names

DevilÕs Backbone, Adamant Creeper, and Pirandai, Veldt Grape or Cissus quadrangularis. Other Names: Edible stemmed vine, veldt grape, devil's backbone, adamant creeper, asthisamharaka, hadjod, pirandai, Asthisanhara, Chaudhari, Chodhari, Choudhari, Hadjora, Harbhanga, Harjora, Harsankari, Hasjora, Itachovani, Kaktus manjat, Kan kaw, Kand-vel, Kandra, Karsankari, Lidzambiso, Mabope, Mafumo, Mangaroli, Mangaroli, Mhais-vel, Murunjurunju, Muvengahonye, Nalleru, Nullerootigch, Patah tulang, Pirandai, Purundei codie, Renja, Renjam Itachovani, Sam-roi-taw, San chakat, Sihlonhlwane, Suncaro, Umhlafutu, Vajravalli, Vedhari, Winged treebine.

Synonyms

Cissus tetragona Harv. Vitis quadrangularis (L.) Wall. ex Wight & Arn. Vitis succulenta Galpin