Treebine
Cissus populnea
Family: Vitaceae
What it is like
A strong woody climber. It grows 8-10 m long. It is 7 cm across. The leaves are oval. The flowers are yellowish-green. The fruit are blue and soft.
There are about 200-350 Cissus species. There are about 75 species in tropical America.
Where it is found
A tropical plant. It can grow from the coast to the Sahel woodlands in West Africa. It can grow in arid places. In Ethiopia it grows between 650-850 m above sea level.
Countries/locations it is found in
Africa, Benin, Burkina Faso, East Africa, Ethiopia, Guinea, Guinée, Guinea-Bissau, Nigeria, Sahel, Senegal, Sudan, Tanzania, Togo, Uganda, West Africa
How it is used for food
The pulp of the fruit is eaten. It is used in soups. The leaves are used to make a slimy sauce. The stems are used as a condiment or flavouring. They provide water.
Edible parts
Leaves, fruit, flowers, stem, sap, vegetable
How it is grown
Its other names
Local names
Ager, Bakani, Bumbala, Bu mumuno, Canja-di-mato, Gniallo, Kpogolo, Lacadje, Muyua yuam, N'bumba, Okoho, Sanro