Riocreuxia picta

Family: Apocynaceae

What it is like

A climber. It keeps growing from year to year. It can be 5 m long. It has a woody rootstock with fleshy side roots. The leaves vary in size. The leaf stalk is 5 cm long. The leaf blade is heart shaped and can be 15 cm long. It tapers to the tip. The flowers are in clusters with 2-3 distant groups. They are purple or brown. The fruit are narrow follicles 10 cm long by 5 mm wide and constricted between the seeds. It tapers to the ends.

Where it is found

It is a subtropical plant. It Swaziland it grows in the high veld.

Countries/locations it is found in

Africa, East Africa, Eswatini, Lesotho, South Africa, Southern Africa, Swaziland, Zimbabwe

How it is used for food

The leaves are cooked and eaten as a spinach.

Edible parts

Leaves

How it is grown

Its other names

Local names

Berepere, Bwerepwere, Damba, Khethohku-sodi, Umdzandabuka wemahlatsi

Synonyms

Ceropegia picta (Schltr.) H. Huber;