Agelaea pentagyna

Family: Connaraceae

What it is like

A woody creeper. It climbs 25 m high. The stems are square in cross section and 15 cm across. The leaves are compound with a larger leaflet at the end. The flowers are at the end of the plant and 30 cm long. The flowers have a sweet scent. The petals are white. The fruit have 1-3 follicles. These are 1.6 cm long by 0.9 cm wide. They are reddish brown and have a dense covering. The seeds are purplish-black and shiny. They are 1.1 cm long by 0.7 cm wide. There is an orange layer around the seeds. It is fleshy.

There are 8 Agelaea species. They are tropical.

Where it is found

It is a tropical plant. It grows in mountain rainforest. It is often along river banks. It suits humid locations. In Malawi it occurs from 700-1,900 m altitude.

Countries/locations it is found in

Africa, Angola, Benin, Cameroon, Central Africa, Central African Republic, CAR, Comoros, Congo, Congo DR, Côte d'Ivoire, East Africa, Gabon, Ghana, Guinea, Guinée, Guinea-Bissau, Ivory Coast, Kenya, Madagascar, Malawi, Mozambique, Nigeria, Sao Tome and Principe, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Southern Africa, Tanzania, Togo, Uganda, West Africa, Zambia, Zimbabwe

How it is used for food

The leaves are cooked and eaten as a vegetable.

Edible parts

Fruit, flowers, leaves, sap - drink

How it is grown

Its other names

Local names

Bebaka, Bokumbola, Bombete, Debaka, Kanhandi, Mubadi badi, Mukula na maye, Pwa kata, Ravinamainty, Sefaamainty, Vahimantina

Synonyms

Agelaea heterophylla Gilg.; Agelaea hirsuta De Wild.; Agelaea setulosa Schellenb.; Agelaea trifolia (Lam.) Baill.; Connarus pentagynus Lam.; and others