Ceropegia purpurascens

Family: Apocynaceae

What it is like

A herb with a corm or bulb. It is succulent and can be a climber. It can grow 3 m high. It grows from a flattened tuberous rootstock. The leaves are large. They are 7 cm long and 2-3 cm wide on leaf stalks 1 cm long. The flowers occur as many together. The fruit are in pairs and growing opposite each other.

Also put in the family Asclepiadaceae.

Where it is found

It is a tropical plant. It can tolerate shade. In southern Africa it grows between 900-1,200 m above sea level. It can grow in arid places.

Countries/locations it is found in

Africa, Angola, Botswana, Central Africa, East Africa, Namibia, Southern Africa, Tanzania, Zambia, Zimbabwe

How it is used for food

The tubers are baked in the ashes and eaten.

Edible parts

Root, tubers

How it is grown

Its other names

Local names

Synonyms

Ceropegia kassneri S. Moore; Ceropegia kwebensis N. E. Br.; Ceropegia purpurascens subsp. thysanotos (Werderm.) H. Huber; Ceropegia thysanotos Werderm.;