Gouania longispicata

Family: Rhamnaceae

What it is like

A shrub that lies along the ground or a liane. It can climb 20 m high. It has coiled tendrils. It scrambles over other vegetation. The leaves are oval. The veins are easy to see. There are fine teeth along the edge. There are many flowers along a stalk. The flowers are creamy-white. The fruit are fleshy and 6 mm long by 11 mm wide. They have 3 wings.

There are about 20 Gouania species. It is used in medicine.

Where it is found

It is a tropical plant. It grows on the edges of forests. In Zimbabwe it grows between 700-1,650 m above sea level.

Countries/locations it is found in

Africa, Burundi, Central Africa, Congo, Côte d'Ivoire, East Africa, Ethiopia, Ivory Coast, Malawi, Mozambique, Nigeria, Rwanda, Sierra Leone, Southern Africa, Sudan, Tanzania, Uganda, West Africa, Zimbabwe

How it is used for food

Edible parts

Leaves

How it is grown

Its other names

Local names

Synonyms

Fouania ulugurica Gilli; Gouania seretii De Wild.;