Red-stemmed cryptolepis
Cryptolepis oblongifolia

Family: Apocynaceae

What it is like

An evergreen herb or small shrub. It can be a climber or scrambler. It grows 2 m high. It keeps growing from year to year. The branches are reddish-brown. The plant produces latex or sap when injured. The leaves are opposite and narrow. The leaves are dark green above and grey-green underneath. The are in well spaced pairs opposite each other. The flowers occur as 3-15 in branched clusters. They are yellowish-green. The flower has a tube and short lobes. The fruit occur in pairs joined at the base. They are 9 cm long by 1 cm wide.

Also put in the family Asclepiadaceae.

Where it is found

It is a tropical plant. It grows in hot and arid areas. It grows in places with a dry season or 6-11 months. In southern Africa it grows between 50-1,800 m altitude. It grows in well-drained soil in woodland, hills or plains. It can grow in arid places. It grows in savannah woodland in West Africa.

Countries/locations it is found in

Africa, Benin, Botswana, Burkina Faso, East Africa, Eswatini, Ghana, Guinea, Guinée, Guinea-Bissau, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, Nigeria, Senegal, Southern Africa, Swaziland, West Africa, Zambia, Zimbabwe

How it is used for food

The leaves are cooked. They are slimy.

Edible parts

Leaves, root, vegetable

How it is grown

Its other names

Local names

Bokhoring, Bwazi, Intato, Kungo fali, Lambulwe, Lu-tutu, Melkbos, Murgissua, Nhacanhaca, Nkaka, Quelerdjere, Rwapene, Vumbvu

Synonyms

Cryptolepis acutifolia (Sond.) N. E. Br.; Cryptolepis arenicola Dinter; Cryptolepis nigritana (Benth.) N. E. Br.; Ectadiopsis acutifolia (Sond.) Benth.; Ectadiopsis oblongifolia (Meisn.) Schltr.; Ectadium oblongifolium Meisn.; and others