Sand lemon rope
Salacia leptoclada

Family: Celastraceae

What it is like

A creeper or liane. Although often only 4 m long it can grow 25 m long. The stem often has 2 raised lines. The leaves are opposite or alternate on climbing shoots. The fruit has a sweet edible pulp. The leaf is dark green but more pale underneath. They are 5-10 cm long by 3-4 cm wide. They are narrowly sword shaped and taper to the tip. The flowers are in groups of 1-5 in the axils of leaves. They are 5-7 mm across and contain both sexes. The sepals are green with red edges and the petals are yellowish. The fruit are orange to red. They are round and 1-2 cm across. There are 1-3 seeds.

It has anti-inflammatory properties.

Where it is found

It is a tropical plant. It grows in coastal regions in West Africa. It grows between 200-915 m above sea level. It grows in the lowlands. In Tanzania it grows between 100-2,200 m above sea level.

Countries/locations it is found in

Africa, Comoros, Côte d'Ivoire, East Africa, Eswatini, Ghana, Ivory Coast, Kenya, Madagascar, Mozambique, South Africa, Southern Africa, Swaziland, Tanzania, Togo, West Africa, Zimbabwe

How it is used for food

The ripe fruit are eaten as a snack.

The fruit are attractive. The fruit are etaen especially by children.

Edible parts

Fruit

How it is grown

Plants can be grown from seeds.

Fruit are collected during the rainy season.

Its other names

Local names

Mbungo mkavu

Synonyms

Salacia floribunda Tul.; Salacia wardii Verd.;