Serendipity berry, Guinea potato
A tropical plant. It grows in densely closed forest vegetation. In West Africa it grows between 200-400 m above sea level. In Zimbabwe a variety grows between 1,000-1,200 m above sea level.
Also known as:
Inaolo-aesiale, Ito-igbin, Kisombi, Kisombi-ngolongolo, Minbagem Ngbi, Shonga-oliki, Utobili
Synonyms
- Dioscoreophyllum cumminsii var. lobatum (C. H. Wright) Troupin
- Dioscoreophyllum jollyanum Pierre ex Diels
- Dioscoreophyllum klaineanum Pierre ex Diels
- Dioscoreophyllum lobatum (C. H. Wright) Diels
- Dioscoreophyllum strigosum Engl.
- Rhophalandria cumminsii Stapf.
- Rhophalandra lobatum C. H. Wright
Edible Portion
- Tubers, Root, Fruit
Where does Serendipity berry grow?
Found in: Africa, Angola, Asia, Cameroon, Central Africa, Central African Republic, CAR, Congo DR, Congo R, East Africa, Gabon, Ghana, Guinea-Bissau, Malawi, Mozambique, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, Southern Africa, Sudan, Togo, West Africa, Zimbabwe
Notes: There are 2 Dioscoreophyllum species. It is a good sweetener for diabetics and has low calories.
Status: The tubers are occasionally eaten.
Growing Serendipity berry, Guinea potato
Cultivation: Plants can be grown from seed or tubers. Seeds need to germinate in the dark. They take about 68 days to germinate. Plants can be grown from stem cuttings.
Edible Uses: The fruit is edible and used to sweeten food. (It contains monellin which is 3,000 times sweeter than sugar). The tubers can be eaten like potato. They are used to thicken soups.
Production: The fruit can be stored. It will keep for several weeks at room temperature.
Nutrition Info
per 100g edible portion| Edible Part | Energy (kcal) | Protein (g) | Iron (mg) | Vitamin A (ug) | Vitamin c (mg) | Zinc (mg) | % Water |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| - | - | - | - | - | - |
References
Atato, A., et al, 2012 Especes lianescentes a fruits comestibles du Togo. Fruits. 67(5): 353-368
Boateng, S. K., et al, 2007, Wet Season of Edible Wild Fruits in Three Regions of Ghana. Journal of Plant Sciences 2(3): 353-357
Burkill, H. M., 1985, The useful plants of west tropical Africa, Vol. 1. Kew.
Busson, 1965,
H. G. A. Engler, Pflanzenr. IV. 94(Heft 46):181. 1910
Facciola, S., 1998, Cornucopia 2: a Source Book of Edible Plants. Kampong Publications, p 150
Jardin, C., 1970, List of Foods Used In Africa, FAO Nutrition Information Document Series No 2.p 15, 132 (Also as Dioscoreophyllum strigosum)
Kiple, K.F. & Ornelas, K.C., (eds), 2000, The Cambridge World History of Food. CUP p 1850
Lim, T. K., 2015, Edible Medicinal and Non Medicinal Plants. Volume 9, Modified Stems, Roots, Bulbs. Springer p 38
Mosango M., Szafranski F., 1985, Plantes sauvages à fruits comestibles dans les environs de Kisangani (Zaïre). In: Journal d'agriculture traditionnelle et de botanique appliquée, 32e année, pp. 177-190 (As var. lobatum)
Nkeoua, G. & Boundzanga, G. C., 1999, Donnees sur les produits forestieres non ligneux en Republique du Congo. FAO. p 25
Peters, C. R., O'Brien, E. M., and Drummond, R.B., 1992, Edible Wild plants of Sub-saharan Africa. Kew. p 147
PROSEA handbook Volume 13 Spices. p 251
Sato, H., 2001, The potential of edible wild yams and yam-like plants as a staple food resource in the African Tropical Rain Forest. African Study Monographs Suppl. 26:123-134.
Terashima, H., & Ichikawa, M., 2003, A comparative ethnobotany of the Mbuti and Efe hunter-gatherers in the Ituri Forest, Democratic Republic of Congo. African Study Monographs, 24 (1, 2): 1-168, March 2003
The Digital Flora of Central Africa, 2013, (Democratic Republic of Congo, Rwanda & Burundi) Botanical Garden Meise (As var. lobatum)
Troupin, G., 1951, Flore du Congo Belge et du Ruanda-Urundi: Menispermaceae. vol. 2, p. 240
Vickery, M.L. and Vickery, B., 1979, Plant Products of Tropical Africa, Macmillan. p 40
Vivien, J., & Faure, J.J., 1996, Fruitiers Sauvages d'Afrique. Especes du Cameroun. CTA p 201
Yasuoka, H., 2006, Long-Term Foraging Expeditions (Molongo) among the Baka Hunter-Gatherers in the Northwestern Congo Basin, with Special Reference to the "Wild Yam Question". Human Ecology, Vol. 34, No. 2, April 2006, pp 275 ff
White, F., Dowsett-Lemaire, F. and Chapman, J. D., 2001, Evergreen Forest Flora of Malawi. Kew. p 372 (As Dioscoreophyllum volkensii)
World Checklist of Useful Plant Species 2020. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew