Milk apple
Dictyophleba lucida

Family: Apocynaceae

What it is like

A woody creeper. It can grow 35 m long and be 50 cm around. It has many branches. It can climb by tendrils. The leaves are 6-14 cm long by 3-8 cm wide. They are narrowly oval. The veins are raised under the leaf. The veins curve forming a vein near the edge of the leaf. The flowers are in clusters at the top of the plant. The flowers have a sweet scent. The fruit can be 3 cm long by 4.5 cm wide and almost round. They are green, yellow or red. The pulp is yellow. They are edible. The seeds are up to 11 mm long.

Where it is found

It is a tropical plant. In Malawi it is common in lake shore forests. In Tanzania it grows between 1 and 1,100 m above sea level. It grows in forest.

Countries/locations it is found in

Africa, Angola, Burundi, Central Africa, Central African Republic, CAR, Congo DR, East Africa, Gabon, Kenya, Malawi, Mozambique, Nigeria, Southern Africa, Tanzania, West Africa, Zambia, Zimbabwe

How it is used for food

The pulp of the fruit is eaten raw. Ripe fruit are also cut, the pulp soaked in water, squeezed, sugar added and filtered then used as a drink.

The fruit are occasionally sold in markets.

Edible parts

Fruit

How it is grown

Plants can be grown from seeds or cuttings.

In Tanzania ripe fruit are collected from February to June. In Congo fruit are available December to January.

Its other names

Local names

Gbado'aei, Iyoyoliki, Katonto, Liyoliyoliki, Liyoyoliki, Mabungo madogo, Makpa, Malondo, Mangocha'aei, Tolekyayo

Synonyms

Landolphia dubreucquiana De Wild.; Landolphia lucida K. Schum.; Pacouria lucida (K. Schum.) Kuntze;