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Ancylobotrys petersiana - (Klotzsch) Pierre

Common Name Mbohoya, Mwungo-wungo.
Family Apocynaceae
USDA hardiness 10-12
Known Hazards None known
Habitats In dune scrub, among boulders on rocky hillsides, in mixed woodland[ 308 ]. Open bushland or woodland, coastal evergreen forest, dry forest, at elevations from sea level to 400 metres[ 398 ].
Range Eastern Africa - Somalia and Kenya, south to S. Africa.
Edibility Rating    (4 of 5)
Other Uses    (2 of 5)
Weed Potential No
Medicinal Rating    (0 of 5)
Care (info)
Tender Well drained soil Moist Soil Semi-shade Full sun
Ancylobotrys petersiana Mbohoya, Mwungo-wungo.


https://edibleplants.org/
Ancylobotrys petersiana Mbohoya, Mwungo-wungo.

 

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Summary

Mbohoya, Ancylobothrys petersiana, is a tropical, evergreen shrub that climbs over trees and bushes for up to 6 m or more high. The leaves are narrowly oval and leathery and the flowers are white or cream with a distinguished sweet scent. The fruit are yellow or orange when ripe. The raw fruit is edible and best eaten when ripe or nearly ripe. The fruit is round-like with numerous seeds embedded in the soft, fleshy pulp that tastes like guava. The fruit juice is sweetened with sugar. The stem is used for ropes due its flexible characteristic and it also is a source of white latex. Plant is grown from seeds or root suckers.


Physical Characteristics

 icon of manicon of climber
Ancylobotrys petersiana is an evergreen Climber growing to 6 m (19ft) by 6 m (19ft) at a fast rate.
See above for USDA hardiness. It is hardy to UK zone 10 and is frost tender.
Suitable for: light (sandy), medium (loamy) and heavy (clay) soils and prefers well-drained soil. Suitable pH: mildly acid, neutral and basic (mildly alkaline) soils. It can grow in semi-shade (light woodland) or no shade. It prefers dry or moist soil and can tolerate drought.

UK Hardiness Map US Hardiness Map

Synonyms

Ancylobotrys rotundifolia (Dew?vre) Pierre Landolphia angustifolia K.Schum. ex Engl. Landolphia mont

Plant Habitats

Edible Uses

Edible Parts: Fruit
Edible Uses:

Fruit - raw[ 323 ]. The pulpy flesh is delicious[ 308 ]. The flavour has been likened to guavas[ 323 ]. The fruit is more or less round, with numerous seeds embedded in the soft pulp[ 323 ]. It is eaten when both ripe and nearly ripe[ 323 ]. The ripe fruit is eaten skin and all, but the semi-ripe fruit must be first peeled[ 323 ]. The pulp of the fruit is soaked in water, squeezed and filtered. The juice is then sweetened with sugar and drunk after being cooled[ 398 ]. It is also frozen and eaten as iced blocks. The fruit is around 5cm in diameter, yellow or light orange when fully ripe[ 308 ]. Fruit can be stored for about 2 weeks.

References   More on Edible Uses

Medicinal Uses

Plants For A Future can not take any responsibility for any adverse effects from the use of plants. Always seek advice from a professional before using a plant medicinally.


None known

References   More on Medicinal Uses

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Other Uses

Latex  String

Other uses rating: Low (2/5). Other Uses: The stem produces a white latex, which is tapped and used for making balls[ 398 ]. The stems are flexible and used for ropes[ 398 ].

Special Uses

Food Forest

References   More on Other Uses

Cultivation details

The plant produces sweetly-scented white flowers[323].

References   Carbon Farming Information and Carbon Sequestration Information

Temperature Converter

Type a value in the Celsius field to convert the value to Fahrenheit:

Fahrenheit:

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Plants For A Future have a number of books available in paperback and digital form. Book titles include Edible Plants, Edible Perennials, Edible Trees,Edible Shrubs, Woodland Gardening, and Temperate Food Forest Plants. Our new book is Food Forest Plants For Hotter Conditions (Tropical and Sub-Tropical).

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Plant Propagation

Seed and Root suckers.

Other Names

If available other names are mentioned here

Other Names: Macava, Macera, Mbohoya, Mbooya, Mtoria, Mtowe, Muhonga, Muhonga-udide, Mutiele, Mutongazi, Mutungazi, Rava, Vibooya, Vitoja, Vitoria.

Native Range

AFRICA: Somalia to South Africa.

Weed Potential

Right plant wrong place. We are currently updating this section. Please note that a plant may be invasive in one area but may not in your area so it’s worth checking.

None Known

Conservation Status

IUCN Red List of Threatened Plants Status : This taxon has not yet been assessed.

Related Plants
Latin NameCommon NameHabitHeightHardinessGrowthSoilShadeMoistureEdibleMedicinalOther

Growth: S = slow M = medium F = fast. Soil: L = light (sandy) M = medium H = heavy (clay). pH: A = acid N = neutral B = basic (alkaline). Shade: F = full shade S = semi-shade N = no shade. Moisture: D = dry M = Moist We = wet Wa = water.

 

Expert comment

Author

(Klotzsch) Pierre

Botanical References

1

Links / References

For a list of references used on this page please go here
A special thanks to Ken Fern for some of the information used on this page.

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Subject : Ancylobotrys petersiana  
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