Antherotoma senegambiensis

Family: Melastomataceae

What it is like

A partly woody bush. It keeps growing from year to year but puts up annual stems 2 m high. The leaves and stems are hairy. The leaves are simple and oval and taper to the tip. There are 2 strong veins along the leaf. Leaves are green above and more pale underneath. The flowers are purple.

There are 2 or 3 Antherotoma species.

Where it is found

It is a tropical plant. It grows in moist places and in dry upland bush in West Africa. It grows in palm groves and wet grass savannah.

Countries/locations it is found in

Africa, Burkina Faso, Central Africa, Congo, East Africa, Ethiopia, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinée, Guinea-Bissau, Kenya, Malawi, Mozambique, Nigeria, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Southern Africa, Tanzania, Uganda, West Africa, Zambia, Zimbabwe

How it is used for food

Edible parts

Leaves

How it is grown

Its other names

Local names

Colidjoi

Synonyms

Dissotis hildebrandtii Kraenzl.; Dissotis irvingiana f. abyssinica (Gilg) A. Fern. & R. Fern.; Dissotis kassneriana Kraenzl.; Dissotis senegambiensis (Guill. & Perr.) Triana; Osbeckia abyssinica Gilg.; Osbeckia cogniauxiana De Wild.; Osbeckia crepiniana Cogn.; Osbeckia saxicola Gilg; Osbeckia senegambiensis Guill. & Perr.; Rhodosepala erecta Cogn.; Rhodosepala pauciflora Baker; Rhodosepala procumbens Cogn.;