Pavetta
Pavetta crassipes

Family: Rubiaceae

What it is like

A shrub or small tree. It grows 3-6 m tall. The leaves are usually clustered near the ends of branches. The leaves are 30 cm long by 8 cm wide. They are sword shaped. There are 8-11 pairs of side veins. The flowers are crowded and 8-17 cm across. The fruit is shiny and black and 6-8 mm across. The seeds are greyish brown and about 5 mm wide.

There are about 400 Pavetta species. They grow in the tropics. The leaves are used in medicine.

Where it is found

A tropical plant. It grows on hillsides. It grows in deciduous woodland and open bush. It is often on rocky outcrops. It grows between 50-1,400 m altitude.

Countries/locations it is found in

Africa, Benin, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cameroon, Central Africa, Congo, Côte d'Ivoire, East Africa, Ethiopia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinée, Guinea-Bissau, Ivory Coast, Kenya, Malawi, Mali, Mozambique, Nigeria, Senegal, Southern Africa, Sudan, Tanzania, Uganda, West Africa, Zambia

How it is used for food

The fruit are eaten raw.

Edible parts

Leaves, fruit, vegetable

How it is grown

Its other names

Local names

Lilaka lwa ng'ombe, Lilime la ng'ombe, Manja atali, Mcoka, Minrinsinni, Mokbiisri, Munqa, Musyasya, Muzu-uyu, mw-Ai, Nanwalo, Yetsewuha

Synonyms

Pavetta barteri Dawe; Pavetta crassipes var. major De Wild.; Pavetta utilis Hua;