Silver-leafed ipomoea
Ipomoea ommaneyi
Family: Convolvulaceae
What it is like
A herb. It has thick tubers. It is very large. It can be 1 m long by 30 cm wide. It has several trailing annual stems. These can be 2 m long. The young parts are densely hairy. The leaf blade is 13 cm long by 7.5 cm wide. It can be rounded or shallowly heart shaped at the base. There are silvery hairs on both surfaces. The leaves point upwards. The flowers occur as several together almost in a head. The fruit capsule is round. The seeds are black.
There are about 500 Ipomoea species.
Where it is found
A tropical plant. It grows along roadsides and on rocky soils. It grows from 580-1,350 m.
Countries/locations it is found in
Africa, Botswana, East Africa, Kenya, Mozambique, South Africa, Southern Africa, Zambia, Zimbabwe
How it is used for food
The crushed and dried roots are mixed with curdled milk or water and eaten.
A famine food.
Edible parts
Tubers, root
How it is grown
A large tuber can be centuries old.