Cissus petiolata

Family: Vitaceae

What it is like

A creeper. The young stems are 4 sided. Older stems are 3-4 cm across. There are broad corky wings. It has simple tendrils. The leaves are simple and broadly oval. They are 13 cm long by 13 cm wide. They are heart shaped at the base. There are slight teeth along the edges. The leaf stalk is 11 cm long. The flowers are in branched clusters in the axils of leaves or near the ends of branches. The fruit are oval and 8 mm across.

There are about 200-350 Cissus species. There are about 75 species in tropical America.

Where it is found

A tropical plant. It grows in lowland rainforest. It suits humid locations. It Malawi it grows between 750-1,100 m altitude.

Countries/locations it is found in

Africa, Angola, Burkina Faso, Central Africa, Congo, East Africa, Ethiopia, Guinea, Guinée, Malawi, Mozambique, Southern Africa, Sudan, West Africa, Zambia, Zimbabwe

How it is used for food

The seeds are cooked and eaten.

Edible parts

Leaves, seeds

How it is grown

Its other names

Local names

Cigoti, Tebelebe

Synonyms

Cissus suberosa (Welw. ex Baker) Planch.; Vitis suberosa Welw. ex Baker;