Butterpips
Acanthosicyos horridus
Family: Cucurbitaceae
What it is like
A shrub or small tree. It grows 5 m tall. There are prickles along the stem. The leaves are twice divided and there are 8-18 pairs of pinnae. There are up to 50 pairs of pinnules on each pinnae. The flowers are yellow. They are in large clusters at the ends of branches. The pods are flattened.
There are 2 Acanthosicyos species. The seeds are very nutritious.
Where it is found
It is a tropical plant. It grows on sand in the Namib desert. It can survive in a hot arid, desert climate. It grows in areas with an annual rainfall of 150 mm. It can survive during years without rainfall. It grows in areas with temperatures between 16°C and 21°C. It can grow in very poor soils. It can grow in salty soils. It grows between 25-150 m above sea level. It can grow in arid places.
Countries/locations it is found in
Africa, Angola, Botswana, Central Africa, Namibia (country/location of origin), South Africa, Southern Africa, USA
How it is used for food
The fruit are eaten fresh or preserved. The fruits are buried to soften, then peeled and boiled and the pulp allowed to thicken and then dried in the sun. It is then eaten or added to porridge. The seeds are eaten roasted or boiled. They are also stored for later use. The seeds also yield an edible oil. The pulp of the fruit is used to separate casein from milk after it is heated.
It is an important food in very arid areas. It is cultivated.
Edible parts
Seeds, fruit pulp, seeds - oil, leaves, vegetable
How it is grown
Plants grow from seeds. Seeds germinate easily. It usually does not do well in cultivation. Wild plants are "owned" and harvested. The seeds are separated from the fruit pulp by rubbing in the sand.
Plants can live for very long periods. Fruits ripen seasonally. Fruit can be 900 g weight. 1,000 seeds weigh 300g. In Namibia fruit are harvested between November and May.
Its other names
Local names
Inara, Mnara, Naia, Nara, Naras, Narasplante, Narram, Narra melon