Fockea angustifolia
K. Schum.
Water root, Narrow-leafed kambro
(c) Barbara Schneider, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC-ND), uploaded by Barbara Schneider
(c) Barbara Schneider, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC-ND), uploaded by Barbara Schneider
(c) Christien Steyn, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC-ND), uploaded by Christien Steyn
What to Eat
Edible parts: Tuber, Root, Stems
The tubers are eaten raw when young or roasted when older, and are also made into jams and preserves by cutting them into small squares, soaking them in lime-treated water, and cooking them into a chunky jam. The stems and roots are also edible.
Where to Find It
A tropical plant. It grows in hot arid places. They need a sunny warm position. In Swaziland it grows in the lowveld only. It grows in the Kalahari. It grows in regions with a dry period of 6-11 months. It is best in shade. In southern Africa it grows between 800-1,200 m altitude.
Africa, Angola, Botswana, Central Africa, East Africa, Eswatini, Kenya, Namibia, South Africa, Southern Africa, Swaziland, Tanzania, Zambia, Zimbabwe,
How to Identify
A climber. It has a few fine hairs. It has a taproot and keeps growing from year to year. The stems and tubers have a milky sap. The leaves are oblong or strap shaped and 7 cm long by 5 mm wide. The flowers are almost without stalks. They occur in compact clusters. They are green and white. The flowers are about 1 cm long. The flower stalks are hairy. The fruit are 8 cm long by less than 1 cm wide. The seeds are 10 mm long by 3 mm wide. The tubers are 50 cm long and 30 cm wide. They have a brown skin and are somewhat spongy.
Nutrition Score: 14/100
| Part | Moisture | kJ | kcal | Protein | Vit A | Vit C | Iron | Zinc |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tubers | 91.3 | 103 | 25 | 0.5 | — | 3.8 | 0.6 | 0.2 |
How to Grow
The top of the tuber is usually left in the ground to re-grow.
Propagation: Seed - Cuttings
Medicinal Uses
The tubers are the most important source of water for bushmen in Namibia.
Production
The tuber can be harvested again after 2-3 years.
Other Information
The tubers is the most important source of water for bushmen in Namibia.
Notes
There are 6 Fockea species.
Names & Synonyms
Dicava, Ecava, Enongo, Kambro, Kghoa, Khoa, Leruswa, Licava
References (25)
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