Secamone stuhlmannii

Family: Apocynaceae

What it is like

A woody creeper. It has rusty hairs. The leaves are simple and opposite. The leaves are 1-6 cm long by 1-2 cm wide. The flowers are in groups at the ends of the plant or in the axils of leaves. The flowers have both sexes. The fruit are a pair of follicles. These are 6-10 cm long by 1 cm wide. They taper to a point.

There are about 80 Secamone species. Also put in the family Asclepiadaceae.

Where it is found

It is a tropical plant. It grows in bushland between 800-1,700 m above sea level.

Countries/locations it is found in

Africa, East Africa, Kenya, Malawi, Rwanda, Tanzania, Uganda

How it is used for food

The leaves are cooked and eaten as a vegetable in times of food scarcity.

Edible parts

Vegetable

How it is grown

Its other names

Local names

Synonyms

Secamone whytei N. E. Br.; Secamone floribunda N. E. Br.; Secamone phillyreoides S. Moore; Secamone rariflora S. Moore;