Rhoicissus tridentata
(L. f.) Wild & R. B. Drummond
Droog-my-keel grape, Bitter grape, Bushman's grape
(c) i_c_riddell, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by i_c_riddell
(c) Tony Rebelo, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA), uploaded by Tony Rebelo
(c) Tony Rebelo, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA), uploaded by Tony Rebelo
What to Eat
Edible parts: Fruit, Roots, Tubers, Caution
The fruit is eaten, though it is very sour and particularly popular with children. The large thickened rootstock is edible and is used in drinks and added to soups.
Known Hazards
Where to Find It
A tropical plant. In South Africa it grows from sea level to 1200 m altitude. In some places it can grow to 2,700 m above sea level. It will grow in a range of conditions. It is often at the edge of evergreen forest in high rainfall areas. It grows in areas with an annual rainfall between 380-1,500 mm. It can grow in arid places.
Africa, Angola, Arabia, Botswana, Burundi, Central Africa, Congo, East Africa, Eswatini, Ethiopia, Kenya, Malawi, Middle East, Mozambique, Nigeria, Rwanda, Saudi Arabia, South Africa*, Southern Africa, Swaziland, Tanzania, Uganda, West Africa, Yemen, Zambia, Zimbabwe,
How to Identify
It is a small neat tree. It grows to 3.6 m high. It can be a climber. It has a very extensive root system with a thickened rootstock or swellings along it. It may have many stems. The young branches are covered with rust-coloured hairs. It has tendrils. The leaves vary greatly in size and shape. They have 3 rigid leaflets. Leaves can be 10 cm long and 7 cm wide. The central leaflet is often triangular. The side leaflets are unequal-sided. Leaflets are glossy green above and paler underneath. The flowers are small and greenish. They occur in clusters opposite the leaves. The fruit is 1.3 cm across. They are smooth and round. They are black when mature. There are 1-2 seeds inside. The fruit is edible.
How to Grow
Plants can be grown from seeds or cuttings.
Wikipedia
Source ↗Rhoicissus tridentata is a climbing plant in the family Vitaceae. Parts of the plant are used in South Africa in traditional herbal remedies during pregnancy.
Other Information
The fruit are eaten especially by children.
Names & Synonyms
Baboon grape, Boesmansdruif, Chizizo, Imbozisa, Isinwazi, Kasalasya, Mnamaftsela, Morara, Mpelesya, Mpesya, Mpete, Mpeza, Mutumbulambudzana, N-kilenya, Olkilenyai, Qashro, Sinwati, Thithiu, Uemba, Umguco, Wedel-asfess, Ziangayango
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