African heart-vine
A tropical plant. It grows on river banks. It grows in areas with a marked dry season. In southern Africa it grows from sea level to 2,200 m altitude. It is most common between 600-1,600 m above sea level. It can grow in arid places. It does not tolerate extremes of wet or dry.
Also known as:
African silkvine, Aulana, Chindewe, Donkieperske, Furana, Kakolo-wozi, Kokordota, Kokorpha, Kordota, Leeshah, Lefotosane, Leswa, Leswe, Lobohoe, Mphyamafi, Phulule, Umulugwe, Xayaab
Edible Portion
- Leaves, Stems, Tendrils, Fruit, Vegetable
Where does African heart-vine grow?
Found in: Africa, Botswana, Cameroon, Central Africa, East Africa, Eswatini, Ethiopia, Kenya, Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, Somalia, South Africa, Southern Africa, Sudan, Swaziland, Tanzania, West Africa, Zambia, Zimbabwe
Notes: There are only 2 Pentarrhinum species. Young leaves Vitamin C is 16.1 mg/100 gm. Also put in the family Asclepiadaceae.
Status: The fruit are eaten especially by children. The leaves and fruit are important vegetables.
Growing African heart-vine
Cultivation: It can be easily grown from seeds.
Edible Uses: The leaves are cooked and eaten. They are also used in vegetable dishes and in relishes and chutneys. They are also pounded and eaten raw. It is a common attractive food. The young fruit are eaten raw. They are also cooked in vegetable dishes. They are also roasted in ashes. It is the outer layer of the fruit that is eaten. The stems and tendrils are used in savoury foods.
Production: It grows quickly.
Nutrition Info
per 100g edible portion| Edible Part | Energy (kcal) | Protein (g) | Iron (mg) | Vitamin A (ug) | Vitamin c (mg) | Zinc (mg) | % Water |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Leaves | 46 | 3.5 | 9 | - | 16 | - | 85 |
| Fruit | 37 | 2.3 | 0.8 | - | - | - | 88 |
References
Addis, G., et al, 2013, Dietary values of wild and semi-wild edible plants in Southern Ethiopia. African Journal of Food, Agriculture, Nutrition and Development. 13(2) (As Pentarrhinum insipidum)
Addis, G., Asfaw, Z & Woldu, Z., 2013, Ethnobotany of Wild and Semi-wild Edible Plants of Konso Ethnic Community, South Ethiopia. Ethnobotany Research and Applications. 11:121-141 (As Pentarrhinum insipidum)
Addis, G., et al, 2013, The Role of Wild and Semi-wild Edible Plants in Household Food Sovereignty in Hamer and Konso Communities, South Ethiopia. Ethnobotany Research & Applications. 11:251-271 (As Pentarrhinum insipidum)
Arnold, T.H., Wells, M.J. & Wehmeyer, A.S., Khoisan food plants: taxa with potential for future economic exploitation, in Wickens, G.E., Goodin, J.R., and Field, D.V.,(Eds.) 1985, Plants for Arid Lands. Unwin Hyman, London, p 73 (As Pentarrhinum insipidum)
Balemie, K., & Kebebew, F., 2006, Ethnobotanical study of wild edible plants in Derashe and Kucha Districts, South Ethiopia. Journal of Ethnobiology and Ethnomedicine. (As Pentarrhinum insipidum)
Burkill, H. M., 1985, The useful plants of west tropical Africa, Vol. 1. Kew. (As Pentarrhinum insipidum)
Cunningham, 185, (As Pentarrhinum insipidum)
Duguma, H. T., 2020, Wild Edible Plant Nutritional Contribution and Consumer Perception in Ethiopia. Hindawi International Journal of Food Science Volume 2020, Article ID 2958623, 16 pages
Fowler, D. G., 2007, Zambian Plants: Their Vernacular Names and Uses. Kew. p 10
Grivetti, L. E., 1980, Agricultural development: present and potential role of edible wild plants. Part 2: Sub-Saharan Africa, Report to the Department of State Agency for International Development. p 75
Grubben, G. J. H. and Denton, O. A. (eds), 2004, Plant Resources of Tropical Africa 2. Vegetables. PROTA, Wageningen, Netherlands. p 411
Heinz & Maguire, 1974,
INFOODS:FAO/INFOODS Databases
Jardin, C., 1970, List of Foods Used In Africa, FAO Nutrition Information Document Series No 2.p 93
Lulekal, E., et al, 2011, Wild edible plants in Ethiopia: a review on their potential to combat food insecurity. Afrika Focus - Vol. 24, No 2. pp 71-121
Magwede, K., van Wyk, B.-E., & van Wyk, A. E., 2019, An inventory of Vhavenḓa useful plants. South African Journal of Botany 122 (2019) 57–89
Martin, F.W. & Ruberte, R.M., 1979, Edible Leaves of the Tropics. Antillian College Press, Mayaguez, Puerto Rico. p 178
Maundu, P. et al, 1999, Traditional Food Plants of Kenya. National Museum of Kenya. 288p
Mutie, F. G., 2020, Conservation of Wild Food Plants and Their Potential for Combatting Food Insecurity in Kenya as Exemplified by the Drylands of Kitui County. Plants 2020, 9, 1017
Peters, C. R., O'Brien, E. M., and Drummond, R.B., 1992, Edible Wild plants of Sub-saharan Africa. Kew. p 65
Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew (1999). Survey of Economic Plants for Arid and Semi-Arid Lands (SEPASAL) database. Published on the Internet; http://www.rbgkew.org.uk/ceb/sepasal/internet [Accessed 4th April 2011]
Ruiters-Welcome, A. K., 2019, Food plants of southern Africa. Ph.D. thesis. Univ. of Johannesburg p 26
Story, 1958,
Tredgold, M.H., 1986, Food Plants of Zimbabwe. Mambo Press. p 12
van Wyk, Be., & Gericke, N., 2007, People's plants. A Guide to Useful Plants of Southern Africa. Briza. p 74
van Wyk, B-E., 2011, The potential of South African plants in the development of new food and beverage products. South African Journal of Botany 77 (2011) 857–868
Wehmeyer, A. S, 1986, Edible Wild Plants of Southern Africa. Data on the Nutrient Contents of over 300 species.
Williamson, J., 2005, Useful Plants of Malawi. 3rd. Edition. Mdadzi Book Trust. p 192 (As Pentarrhinum insipidum)