Byttneria catalpifolia subsp. africana

Family: Malvaceae

What it is like

A shrub or woody creeper. It has long thick trailing stems. They can be 15 m long. The leaves are slightly hairy. The flowers are white and have a scent. The fruit are rounded capsules 2-4 cm long by 3 cm wide. They have spines 4-15 mm long.

There are 130-140 Byttneria species. Also put in the family Sterculiaceae.

Where it is found

It is a tropical plant. It grows in the forest between 900-1.100 m above sea level.

Countries/locations it is found in

Africa, Angola, Benin, Cameroon, Central Africa, Central African Republic, CAR, Congo DR, Côte d'Ivoire, East Africa, Gabon, Ghana, Ivory Coast, Liberia, Nigeria, Sudan, Togo, Uganda, West Africa

How it is used for food

Edible parts

Stem - water, sap

How it is grown

The stem can be cut to yield large amounts of water.

Its other names

Local names

Ekwo, Samangoro, Sukuruwa

Synonyms

Buettneria africana Mast.; Byttneria africana Mast.; Byttneria africana var. angolensis Hiern;