Caustic vine, Milkbush, Milk rope
Sarcostemma viminale

Family: Apocynaceae

What it is like

A climbing vine or shrub which keeps growing from year to year. It can be 1.5 m tall. The leaves are like small scales. The stems are grey-green and smooth. They are jointed and succulent. They contain milky sap. The flowers are star-shaped and waxy. They are cream coloured and are in clusters in the axils of the stems. The fruit are narrow cylindrical pods. These split along their length. The seeds have silky hairs and are flat. There are many seeds. Check Cynanchum viminale.

It is used in medicine. Several Sarcostemma have been changed to Cynanchum.

Where it is found

A tropical plant. It grows in stony areas. It grows from tropical to warm temperate places. In West Africa it grows in dry savannah and Sahel areas. It grows in hot arid places with a marked dry season. It grows in well-drained sands. In southern Africa it grows between 50-1,800 m altitude. It can grow in arid places.

Countries/locations it is found in

Africa, Australia, Botswana, Burkina Faso, Central Africa, China, Congo, East Africa, Eswatini, Ethiopia, Ghana, India, Kenya, Lesotho, Malawi, Malesia, Mali, Middle East, Mozambique, Myanmar, Namibia, Nigeria, Oman, Pakistan, Sahel, SE Asia, Somalia, South Africa, Southern Africa, Swaziland, Tanzania, Uganda, West Africa, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Zululand

How it is used for food

CAUTION: Parts of the plant may be toxic. They can contain oxalates and are less bitter in the afternoon than the morning. The stems also contain steroids. The fruit are eaten raw. The stems and fruit are also used for flavourings. The young stem is eaten raw and used in salads. It is succulent and is chewed. The stem and latex is used to make a drink and a milk substitute. The root tuber is eaten.

It is eaten especially by women and children.

Edible parts

Leaves, stems, roots, fruit, flowers, caution, vegetable

How it is grown

Its other names

Local names

Chifure, Elegoy, Emaphoti, Eninga, Imvubu, Ingotjwa, Ingotsha, Ingotshayeganga, Liphoti, Mabelabela, Mabelebele, Makhombo makhulu, Melktou, Molaemela, Nabele-a-dilomo, Neta, Ntlala-meno, Nyoku-domba, Pencil Caustic, Runyakadomdo, Rusungwe, Soma, Spantou, Tumena, Umbelebele

Synonyms

Euphorbia viminalis Linne, Cynanchum aphyllum (Thunb.) Schltr.; Cynanchum tetrapterum (Turc.) Dyer ex Bullock; Cynanchum viminale L.; Asclepias aphylla Thunb.; Asclepias nuda Schumach. & Thonn.; Sarcostemma daltonii Decne; Sarcostemma nudum C. Sm. ex Decne; Sarcostemma tetrapterum Turc.; Sarcostemma thunbergii Don; Sarcostemma andongonense Hiern.; Sarcostemma aphylla Thunb.; Sarcostemma aphyllum (L.) R. Br.;