Spade flower
Hybanthus enneaspermus

Family: Violaceae

What it is like

An erect herb or bush. It grows 45-60 cm high. It varies a lot. The stems have ribs along them and also hairs. The leaf blades are 206 cm long by 3-9 mm wide. The edges of the leaves are rolled inwards. The flowers have 2 small petals that are cream or green and 2 larger petals that are cream with orange tips and one larger petal that is spoon shaped and orange. The fruit is a capsule. The seeds have ridges along them.

It has medicinal uses.

Where it is found

It is a tropical plant. It grows in coastal savannah, grassland and roadsides up to 1,200 m altitude in West Africa. In north Australia it grows from sea level to 1,270 m above sea level.

Countries/locations it is found in

Africa, Asia, Australia, Benin, Botswana, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Central Africa, China, Côte d'Ivoire, East Africa, Equatorial Guinea, Ghana, Guinea, Guinée, India, Ivory Coast, Mozambique, Nigeria, Papua New Guinea, Sierra Leone, Sri Lanka, Taiwan, Togo, West Africa, Zambia, Zimbabwe

How it is used for food

The whole plant is eaten fresh or mixed into a paste with milk. It is used to add sour flavour to meat and fish.

Edible parts

Fruit, plant, leaves

How it is grown

Its other names

Local names

Dia plolo, Nonguele, Nonure, Orithalthamarai, Orithaz thamarai

Synonyms

Hybanthus thesiifolius (Juss.) Hutch. & Dalz.; Viola enneasperma L.;