Chasmanthera dependens
Family: Menispermaceae
What it is like
A climbing shrub or vine. It keeps growing from year to year. It can be 10 m long. The older branches have flaking bark. The leaves are broadly oval and deeply heart shaped at the base. They are 4-20 cm by 4-20 cm wide. They have velvety hairs. The flowers are yellow-green. They are on stalks 10-30 cm long. The fruit are orange and oval. They are 10-15 mm long.
Where it is found
It is a tropical plant. It grows in dry rocky soils. It grows between 600-1,200 m above sea level. It can grow in arid places.
Countries/locations it is found in
Africa, Benin, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Central Africa, Chad, Congo, East Africa, Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Niger, Nigeria, Sahel, Sao Tome and Principe, Sierra Leone, Somalia, Sudan, Tanzania, Togo, Uganda, West Africa, Zambia
How it is used for food
The roots are boiled in milk to make a drink. The stems are eaten.
Edible parts
Stems, vegetable, fruit, roots, tubers, leaves
How it is grown
Its other names
Local names
Ioboto, Kugiei, Pulomnyon, Sorta-arba, Tsatsa, Umbaraara, Uswe