Hairy cluster-vine
Jacquemontia tamnifolia

Family: Convolvulaceae

What it is like

A herb. It has a taproot. It has several stems. The stems are trailing. They are about 1 m long. They have flattened silky hairs. The leaves are simple and oval. They are alternate. They are 9 cm long by 6 cm wide. They are on slender stalks. The flowers are blue. They are in dense hairy heads. They are on long stalks. The fruit are round and pale yellow. There are usually 4 seeds.

There are about 120-150 Jacquemontia species. Most are in tropical America.

Where it is found

A tropical plant. It grows in dry sandy places and grassland. It grows in savannah woodland. It is more common where rainfall is less than 1000 mm per year. It is only rare in Swaziland. It is often in hot arid places with a marked dry season. The dry season can be 6-11 months. It grows in sandy and stony soils. It grows between 10-1,100 m above sea level. It can tolerate shade. It can grow in arid places. It grows in the lowlands. In Argentina it grows below 500 m above sea level.

Countries/locations it is found in

Africa, America, Angola, Argentina, Bahamas, Belize, Benin, Bolivia, Botswana, Brazil, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Central Africa, Central African Republic, CAR, Central America, Chad, China, Colombia, Comoros, Congo DR, Costa Rica, Cuba, Dominican Republic, East Africa, Ecuador, El Salvador, Eswatini, Ethiopia, Gabon, Ghana, French Guiana, Guatemala, Guianas, Guinea, Guinée, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, India, Kenya, Korea, Liberia, Madagascar, Malawi, Mascarenes, Mauritania, Mexico, Mozambique, Namibia, Niger, Nigeria, North America, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Puerto Rico, Senegal, Somalia, South Africa, South America, Southern Africa, Sudan, Suriname, Swaziland, Taiwan, Tanzania, Thailand, Togo, Trinidad-Tobago, Uganda, USA, Venezuela, West Africa, West Indies, Zambia, Zimbabwe

How it is used for food

The leaves are cooked and eaten as a vegetable. It is also mashed and added to soup.

Edible parts

Leaves, vegetable

How it is grown

Plants can be grown by seeds or cuttings.

Leaves are collected during and soon after the rainy season.

Its other names

Local names

Boeboe, Bwala bwaya, Chikoakoa, Fafay, Kikopwe, Kuituikombwa, Mater, Mbifir, Namutangaela, Tshibokoto

Synonyms

Convolvulus capitatus Desr. in Lam.; Convolvulus ciliatus Vahl; Convolvulus guineensis Schumach in Schumach & Thonn.; Convolvulus praelongus S. Moore; Convolvulus pycnanthus Choisy in DC.; Colvolvulus tamnifolius (L.) G. Mey.; Ipomoea capitata (Desr.) Choisy in DC.; Ipomoea guineensis (Schumach.) G. Don; Ipomoea macropoda Bojer; Ipomoea tamnifolia L.; Jacquemontia capitata (Desr.) G. Don; Jacquemontia mcarocephala Brandegee; Thyella macrocephala (Brandegee) House; Thyella tamnifolia (L.) Raf.;