Burweed
Triumfetta cordifolia
Family: Malvaceae
What it is like
A shrub. It grows 3-4 m high. It varies in form. The stems are often 4 sided. The leaf blade is 5-14 cm long by 2-13 cm wide. They are oval and taper to the tip. They are heart shaped at the base. There are 3-5 lobes. There are teeth along the edge. There is a hairy covering on the leaves. The flowering shoot is large. The petals are yellow. The fruit are about 10 mm across.
There are about 150 Triumfetta species. They are mostly in the tropics and subtropics. It has also been put in the family Sparmanniaceae. It may eventually be put in the family Malvaceae. These have also been in the family Tiliaceae.
Where it is found
A tropical plant. It grows in waste land and forest clearings in West Africa. It grows in moist tropical regions. It grows in savannah woodland and in palm groves. It also grows in seasonally flooded land.
Countries/locations it is found in
Africa, Angola, Central Africa, Central African Republic, CAR, Congo DR, East Africa, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinée, Guinea-Bissau, Rwanda, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Tanzania, West Africa, Zambia
How it is used for food
The sticky sap produced as the bark is removed from the stems is added to soups.
Edible parts
Leaves, leaves - flavouring, vegetable, stem sap
How it is grown
It can be grown from cuttings.
In Central African Republic flowers have been recorded in November and fruit in December.
Its other names
Local names
Gingone, Kivungala, Luvunga, Mamanata, Mpungala, Mpunguela, Mutembe, Mvungila, Ngongi, Pilipi, Punquila, Umunaaba, Umusaareenda, Xipunga