Alpin's oxystelma, Rosy milkweed vine
Oxystelma esculentum

Family: Apocynaceae

What it is like

A soft slender climber. The plant contains a white latex. The leaves are opposite and each pair is at right angles to the ones above and below it. The leaves are long and sword shaped. They are dark green with light green veins. They are 3.5-8 cm long by 4-10 mm wide. The leaf stalk is 3-12 mm long. The flowers occur as 2-3 together. They are 2-3 cm wide. The flowers are bell shaped. There are 5 triangular lobes. These are hairy at the edges. The flowers are white with reddish streaks inside. The fruit are many seeded dry fruit. They are oblong and curved. They are 4-7 cm long by 1.6 cm wide. The seeds are oval and flat.

There are 4 Oxystelma species. Used in medicine.

Where it is found

A tropical plant. It grows on the Deccan in India. It grows naturally on stream banks. It grows up to an altitude of 900 metres. In Yunnan, China it grows between 800-1300 m altitude.

Countries/locations it is found in

Africa, Asia, Australia, Bangladesh, Cambodia, China, Egypt, Himalayas, India, Indochina, Indonesia, Iraq, Laos, Malaysia, Middle East, Myanmar, Nepal, North Africa, Pakistan, SE Asia, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Vietnam, NE Africa, SW Asia

How it is used for food

The shoots are eaten raw. The fruit are eaten mixed with seasoning or salt.

Edible parts

Fruit, leaves

How it is grown

Plants can be grown from seeds or cuttings.

Its other names

Local names

Chamuuk plaa lot, Chamuuk-plah-lai-dong, Climbing milkweeds, Dudhejhar, Kiew khai, Sarkostema rambat, Yanglaguo

Synonyms

Periploca esculenta Linnaeus f.; Asclepias rosea Roxburgh; Oxystelma wallichii Wight; Sarcostemma esculentum (Linnaeus f.) R. W. Holm.;