Omumbwanda
Heliotropium hereroense

Family: Boraginaceae

What it is like

A herb or small shrub. It grows up to 1 m high. It has a taproot. It keeps growing from year to year. The leaves are narrowly sword shaped. They are in rings. The flowers are very small and yellow.

Where it is found

It is a subtropical plant. It grows in hot arid places and where there is a marked dry season. The dry season can be 6-11 months. It is often in well-drained stony soils. In southern Africa it grows between 170-1,850 m above sea level. It is rare in Swaziland. It can grow in arid places.

Countries/locations it is found in

Africa, Eswatini, Namibia, South Africa, Southern Africa, Swaziland

How it is used for food

The fruit are eaten raw.

Edible parts

Fruit

How it is grown

Its other names

Local names

Synonyms

Heliotropium pseudostrigosum Dinter;