Guinea gumvine, Landolphia rubber
Landolphia heudelotii

Family: Apocynaceae

What it is like

A bush or woody creeper. The stems can be 1.25 m around. They grow 15 m long. It can have long hooked tendrils. The young branches have a few hairs. The leaves are oblong and 8-15 cm long by 3-6 cm wide. The flowers are in many flowered oval groups. The fruit are round, orange and 3-6 cm across. They are a wrinkled, woody rind.

Where it is found

A tropical plant. It grows in woodland savannah. It can be in forests along rivers or in palm groves. It can withstand fire and grazing.

Countries/locations it is found in

Africa, Burkina Faso, Central Africa, Congo, Côte d'Ivoire, Gabon, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinée, Guinea-Bissau, Ivory Coast, Malaysia, Mali, Niger, Sahel, SE Asia, Senegal, Sierra Leone, West Africa

How it is used for food

The fruit is eaten. It is also used to make alcoholic drink. Caution: Alcohol is a cause of cancer.

The fruit are eaten especially by children. They are popular and sold in local markets.

Edible parts

Fruit

How it is grown

Its other names

Local names

An-boi, Angambane, Beta, Bona, Bufem, Bufene, Bu hemb, Buna, Canho, Debol-poledje, Dunda, Entonke, Erocodo, Fole-di-lala, Fole-di-lete, Fole-macacou, Fole-pequeno, Fole, Foleos-sum-o, Folezinho, Foli, Gueyi, Mambina, Mana, Manan, N'batano, Nfugurhi, Pempen, Pore-lare, Pore, Psobe, Umbatano

Synonyms

Landolphia michelinii Benth.; Landolphia tomentosa (Lepr. & Perrot ex Bancher) Dewevre; Vahia heudelotii (A. DC.) F. Muell.; Vahea tomentosa Lepr. & Perrot ex Bancher;