Sarcostemma viminale
(L.) R. Br.
Caustic vine, Milkbush, Milk rope
(c) David Spencer Muirhead, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC)
(c) David Spencer Muirhead, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC)
(c) David Spencer Muirhead, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC)
What to Eat
Edible parts: Leaves, Stems, Roots, Fruit, Flowers, Caution, Vegetable
The fruit are eaten raw and used for flavoring. Young succulent stems are eaten raw, used in salads, and chewed. The stem and latex are used to make drinks and milk substitutes. Root tubers are eaten. The plant is traditionally eaten especially by women and children.
Known Hazards
Where to Find It
A tropical plant. It grows in stony areas. It grows from tropical to warm temperate places. In West Africa it grows in dry savannah and Sahel areas. It grows in hot arid places with a marked dry season. It grows in well-drained sands. In southern Africa it grows between 50-1,800 m altitude. It can grow in arid places.
Africa, Australia, Botswana, Burkina Faso, Central Africa, China, Congo, East Africa, Eswatini, Ethiopia, Ghana, India, Kenya, Lesotho, Malawi, Malesia, Mali, Middle East, Mozambique, Myanmar, Namibia, Nigeria, Oman, Pakistan, Sahel, SE Asia, Somalia, South Africa, Southern Africa, Swaziland, Tanzania, Uganda, West Africa, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Zululand,
How to Identify
A climbing vine or shrub which keeps growing from year to year. It can be 1.5 m tall. The leaves are like small scales. The stems are grey-green and smooth. They are jointed and succulent. They contain milky sap. The flowers are star-shaped and waxy. They are cream coloured and are in clusters in the axils of the stems. The fruit are narrow cylindrical pods. These split along their length. The seeds have silky hairs and are flat. There are many seeds. Check Cynanchum viminale.
Medicinal Uses
The stem and latex are used medicinally.
Other Information
It is eaten especially by women and children.
Notes
It is used in medicine. Several Sarcostemma have been changed to Cynanchum.
Names & Synonyms
Chifure, Elegoy, Emaphoti, Eninga, Imvubu, Ingotjwa, Ingotsha, Ingotshayeganga, Liphoti, Mabelabela, Mabelebele, Makhombo makhulu, Melktou, Molaemela, Nabele-a-dilomo, Neta, Ntlala-meno, Nyoku-domba, Pencil Caustic, Runyakadomdo, Rusungwe, Soma, Spantou, Tumena, Umbelebele
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