Apricot vine, Rubber vine
Landolphia buchananii

Family: Apocynaceae

What it is like

A liana or climbing shrub. It grows 25-40 m high. The stems are 25 cm across. The stems are deeply fluted, looking like ropes. The bark is brown with grey spots. The leaves are thin and 5-12 cm long by 2-5 cm wide. The lower leaf surface has shallow cracks. It often has tendrils. The flowers are at the ends of stems and in the axils of leaves. They can be a few to many flowers. The flower tube is white and there is pink under the lobes. The fruit are 8-10 cm across and edible. The seeds are 8-17 mm long.

There are 55 Landolphia species.

Where it is found

A tropical plant. It grows in rainforest, mountain forest and along rivers. It suits humid locations. In Malawi it grows between 650-2,150 m altitude.

Countries/locations it is found in

Africa, Angola, Burundi, Cameroon, Central Africa, Congo DR, East Africa, Ethiopia, Kenya, Malawi, Mozambique, Nigeria, Rwanda, Southern Africa, Tanzania, Uganda, West Africa, Zambia, Zimbabwe

How it is used for food

The ripe fruit are eaten. The pulp has a sour sweet taste. The fruit has been used to make jam.

Edible parts

Fruit

How it is grown

Plants are grown from seeds. Seeds that have passed through the gut of an animal normally germinate easily. Plants can be grown by cuttings.

Its other names

Local names

Geboo, Hebi, Homba, Mukanga, Muungu, Nandi rubber vine, Nongwe, Runyangarwapene, Ugooto, Yemo

Synonyms

Clitandra buchananii Hallier f.; Clitandra kilimandjarica Warb.; Clitandra semlikiensis Robyns & Boutique; Jasminochyla ugandensis (Stapf) Pichon; Landolphia cameronis Stapf.; Landolphia kilimandjarica (Warb.) Stapf; Landolphia rogersii Stapf; Landolphia swynnertonii S. Moore; Landolphia ugandensis Stapf;