Wild granadilla, Finger-leaved adenia
Adenia digitata

Family: Passifloraceae

What it is like

A climber. It grows from a tuber and can be 3 m tall. The tuber is 10 cm long by 6 cm wide. The stems usually grow annually. The leaf blade is 4-18 cm long by 3-17 cm wide. They are deeply divided. They are greenish-yellow above and more grey underneath. The leaflets vary in shape. The fruit is a capsule. It can be 5 cm long by 4 cm wide and oval. It can contain 20-60 seeds. The seeds are 5-8 mm long by 5 mm wide and 3 mm thick. They are oval.

There are 95 Adenia species. They are common in the semiarid regions of Africa.

Where it is found

It is a tropical and subtropical plant. It grows in savannahs and woodlands and can be on sand or clayey soils. It grows between 390-1,800 m above sea level. It can grow in arid places.

Countries/locations it is found in

Africa, Angola, Botswana, Central Africa, East Africa, Eswatini, Malawi, Mozambique, South Africa, Southern Africa, Swaziland, Tanzania, Zambia, Zimbabwe

How it is used for food

The young leaves are cooked and eaten as a vegetable. Caution: The fruit and tubers are poisonous.

Edible parts

Leaves, caution, vegetable

How it is grown

Its other names

Local names

Bobbejaangif, Borok-gothlolo, Boshielie, Dundu, Golobaje, Lawawa, Liphobobo, Marakabele, Mojaja, Muhow, Muzembo, Tshikutu, Utshwala benyoni

Synonyms

Adenia senensis (Klotsch) Engl.; Adenia buchananii Harms; Adenia angustisecta Burtt Davy; Adenia multiflora Pott; Adenia stenophylla Harms; Clemanthus senensis Klotsch; Modecca digitata Harv.; Modecca senensis (Klotsch) Mast.;