Bitter wood, Milk bush
Xysmalobium undulatum

Family: Apocynaceae

What it is like

A herb. It has a stout single stem. It is erect and 1.8 m high. It has a milky latex when damaged. It is densely leafy. The leaves have short stalks. The leaf blade in oblong but broader at the base. The edges are wavy. They are 15 cm long by 5 cm wide. The flowers are in groups on the sides of the plant. They are pale yellow or greenish. They have erect lobes and white hairs at the tip. The fruit are leathery and flattened. They are 13 cm long by 4 cm wide. They have wavy hairs 2 cm long. The fruit can occur singly or in pairs.

Where it is found

A tropical plant. It often grows on flooded grassland. In southern Africa it grows between 80-2,000 m altitude. It can grow in arid places.

Countries/locations it is found in

Africa, Botswana, East Africa, Eswatini, Lesotho, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa, Southern Africa, Swaziland, Tanzania, Zambia, Zimbabwe

How it is used for food

The young leaves are eaten. They can be eaten raw or used as a vegetable and for flavouring. Caution: The roots contain a toxic chemical that can affect the heart.

Edible parts

Leaves, caution

How it is grown

Its other names

Local names

Bitterhout, Ilothana, Ishongwe, Itshongwe, Iyeza elimhlophe, Leshokhoa, Lethokzwa, Lishongwe, Milk bush, Mubva,Ombaruru, Pohotshehla, Umdzayi, Uzara, Vhubva

Synonyms

Asclepias undulata L.; Xysmalobium lapathifolium K. Schum.; and others