Ceropegia fortuita

Family: Apocynaceae

What it is like

A succulent vine. It grows 1.5 m high. It has a tuberous root 5-15 cm wide. There can be secondary tubers. It has several very short stems. They are slender. There are only a few leaves. The leaf blade tapers to a triangle shaped point but is fattened below the middle. They are 1.5 cm long and wide. These carry a large number of flowers in groups of 1 or 2. The flowers are purple to green.

Also put in the family Asclepiadaceae.

Where it is found

It is a subtropical plant. It needs lots of sun. In Swaziland it grows at low altitudes. It grows in hot river valleys.

Countries/locations it is found in

Africa, East Africa, Eswatini, South Africa, Southern Africa, Swaziland, Zimbabwe

How it is used for food

A famine food.

Edible parts

Root, tubers

How it is grown

Plants can be grown from seeds. Seeds should be sown fresh. It can also be grown from cuttings of the stem or from offsets of the tubers.

Its other names

Local names

Synonyms

Ceropegia africana subsp. fortuita (Dyer) H. Huber;