We depend on donations from users of our database of over 8000 edible and useful plants to keep making it available free of charge and to further extend and improve it. In recent months donations are down, and we are spending more than we receive. Please give what you can to keep PFAF properly funded. More >>>

Follow Us:

 

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.

 

Translate this page:

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

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

Now available: PLANTS FOR YOUR FOOD FOREST: 500 Plants for Temperate Food Forests and Permaculture Gardens.

An important new book from PFAF. It focuses on the attributes of plants suitable for food forests, what each can contribute to a food forest ecosystem, including carbon sequestration, and the kinds of foods they yield. The book suggests that community and small-scale food forests can provide a real alternative to intensive industrialised agriculture, and help to combat the many inter-related environmental crises that threaten the very future of life on Earth.

Read More

FOOD FOREST PLANTS

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:

image

The PFAF Bookshop

Plants For A Future have a number of books available in paperback and digital form. Book titles include Edible Plants, Edible Perennials, Edible Trees, and Woodland Gardening. Our new book to be released soon is Edible Shrubs.

Shop Now

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 Plant Search

Search over 900 plants ideal for food forests and permaculture gardens. Filter to search native plants to your area. The plants selected are the plants in our book 'Plants For Your Food Forest: 500 Plants for Temperate Food Forests and Permaculture Gardens, as well as plants chosen for our forthcoming related books for Tropical/Hot Wet Climates and Mediterranean/Hot Dry Climates. Native Plant Search

Found In

Countries where the plant has been found are listed here if the information is available

Found In: Africa, East Africa, Kenya, Madagascar, Malawi, Mozambique, South Africa, Southern Africa, Somalia, Tanzania, Zambia, Zimbabwe.

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.

 

Print Friendly and PDF

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.

Readers comment

Add a comment

If you have important information about this plant that may help other users please add a comment or link below. Only comments or links that are felt to be directly relevant to a plant will be included. If you think a comment/link or information contained on this page is inaccurate or misleading we would welcome your feedback at [email protected]. If you have questions about a plant please use the Forum on this website as we do not have the resources to answer questions ourselves.

* Please note: the comments by website users are not necessarily those held by PFAF and may give misleading or inaccurate information.

To leave a comment please Register or login here All comments need to be approved so will not appear immediately.

Subject : Ancylobotrys petersiana  
© 2010, Plants For A Future. Plants For A Future is a charitable company limited by guarantee, registered in England and Wales. Charity No. 1057719, Company No. 3204567.