Triumfetta annua
L.
Paroquet Bur
(c) Linda Loffler, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by Linda Loffler
(c) Dinesh Valke, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA)
What to Eat
Edible parts: Leaves, Vegetable
The leaves are occasionally cooked as a side dish but require thorough cooking. The bark of young green stems produces a slimy exudate used in soup—the stems are heated until the bark loosens, then peeled and squeezed into hot water with salt and spices (vegetable oil should not be added).
Where to Find It
A tropical plant. It can tolerate shade. It grows in bushland and grows up to 2,150 m altitude. It grows in the lowlands. In Sichuan and Yunnan.
Africa, Angola, Asia, Bhutan, Botswana, Burundi, Cameroon, Central Africa, Central African Republic, CAR, China, Congo, East Africa, Eritrea, Eswatini, Ethiopia, Himalayas, India, Indochina, Kenya, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Mozambique, Myanmar, Namibia, Nepal, Nigeria, Pakistan, Rwanda, SE Asia, South Africa, Southern Africa, Sudan, Swaziland, Tanzania, Uganda, Vietnam, West Africa, Zambia, Zimbabwe,
How to Identify
An annual herb. It grows up to 60 cm high. The leaves are simple and undivided and have teeth along the edge. The leaves are 10 cm long by 7 cm wide. They have simple hairs. The leaves are on long stalks. The flowers are small and yellow. They occur in clusters where the leaf stalk meets the stem. The fruit occur as round globules with hooks. They are 1.5 cm across.
Nutrition Score: 43/100
| Part | Moisture | kJ | kcal | Protein | Vit A | Vit C | Iron | Zinc |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Leaves | 78.9 | 298 | 71 | 4.2 | — | — | 29.2 | — |
How to Grow
Cuttings of young stems 15-20 cm long are often used. They are planted in the shade of a tree. The cuttings need to be planted straight upwards.
Other Uses
The fibrous bark is used as string.
Production
Young leaves are picked when required. Stems are cut just above the ground when they are 75-100 cm long. New shoots start as soon the the rainy season arrive.
Other Information
It is occasionally cultivated.
Notes
There are about 150 Triumfetta species. They are mostly in the tropics and subtropics. There are about 50 species in tropical America. It has also been put in the family Sparmanniaceae. It may eventually be put in the family Malvaceae.
Names & Synonyms
Burweed, Cipopo, Gaidau nhatnien, Hombo, Katsine, Khatambuzi, Kibosa, Kifutuma, Libube, Liwube, Munamu, Sungini, Therere, Tshimbvumbvu, Ugunga
References (22)
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