Bushveld grape, Warty grape
Rhoicissus revoilii

Family: Vitaceae

What it is like

A shrub which often scrambles. It can be a small tree. It can grow up to 7 m tall. The bark is grey and scaly. The young parts have woolly hairs. The leaves have 3 leaflets. The leaflets vary in size and shape. They can be narrow to oval to almost square. The upper surface is glossy dark green. The underneath has rusty hairs. The flowers are yellowish-green. The flower stalks have rusty hairs. The flowers are in small dense heads in the axils of leaves. The fruit have 2 lobes. They are 1-1.5 cm across and fleshy. They are black when mature.

Where it is found

A tropical plant. It grows in mixed woodland and on rocky hills. It can grow from sea level to 2000 m altitude in South Africa. In West Africa it grows in dry forest. It can grow in arid places.

Countries/locations it is found in

Africa, Arabia, Botswana, Central Africa, Comoros, Congo, East Africa, Eswatini, Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Malawi, Middle East, Mozambique, Rwanda, Saudi Arabia, Somalia, South Africa, Southern Africa, Sudan, Swaziland, Tanzania, Uganda, West Africa, Yemen, Zambia, Zimbabwe

How it is used for food

The stem contains a thin rather acid juice which in times of drought has been added to drinking water or to palm wine. The fruit are edible.

Edible parts

Fruit, stem, tuber - tea, root

How it is grown

Its other names

Local names

Boyiti, Chizimbui, Daga-cebsa, Hida refa, Mudzambiringa, Mufukamhunze, Mufukazviyo, Mugodzonga, Mukwidzi, Munhame, Musikavakadzi, Taru, Uemba, Umbovu

Synonyms

Rhoicissus sansibarensis Gilg.; Rhoicissus schlechteri Gilg. & Brandt.;