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Useful Tropical Plants

Cercestis mirabilis

(N.E.Br.) Bogner

Araceae


This species can be easily confused with Cercestis camerunensis, which occurs from Nigeria to Gabon. The uses described below may therefore be equally applicable to Cercestis camerunensis[
299
Title
Protabase - Plant Resources of Tropical Africa.
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://www.prota.org
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
An excellent on-line database with detailed information on over 3,200 species of useful plants of Africa.
].

+ Synonyms

Nephthytis picturata N.E.Br.

Rhektophyllum congense De Wild. & T.Durand

Rhektophyllum mirabile N.E.Br.

Common Name:

Cercestis mirabilis

General Information

Cercestis mirabilis is a herbaceous perennial climbing plant producing stems up to about 10 metres long. The stems are up to 5cm in diameter; they scramble over the ground and climb into the surrounding vegetation, attaching themselves by means of clasping roots[
299
Title
Protabase - Plant Resources of Tropical Africa.
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://www.prota.org
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
An excellent on-line database with detailed information on over 3,200 species of useful plants of Africa.
,
515
Title
Flora of Tropical Africa Vol 1 - 8
Publication
 
Author
Var
Website
http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org
Publisher
L.Reeve & Co.; Ashford, Kent.
Year
1868 - 1917
ISBN
 
Description
Very little information on habitat, range and uses, but gives good descriptions of the plants. It can be downloaded from the internet.
].
The plant is harvested from the wild for local use as a food, medicine and source of fibre.

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

515
Title
Flora of Tropical Africa Vol 1 - 8
Publication
 
Author
Var
Website
http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org
Publisher
L.Reeve & Co.; Ashford, Kent.
Year
1868 - 1917
ISBN
 
Description
Very little information on habitat, range and uses, but gives good descriptions of the plants. It can be downloaded from the internet.

Range

Tropical Africa - Benin to Uganda, south to Angola,

Habitat

Lowland humid forests, at elevations up to 400 metres[
299
Title
Protabase - Plant Resources of Tropical Africa.
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://www.prota.org
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
An excellent on-line database with detailed information on over 3,200 species of useful plants of Africa.
].

Properties

Edibility Rating *  *
Medicinal Rating *  *
Other Uses Rating *  *
HabitPerennial Climber
Height8.00 m
PollinatorsFlies
Cultivation StatusWild

Cultivation Details

Cercestis mirabilis is a plant of the lowland, humid tropics, where it can be found at elevations up to 400 metres[
299
Title
Protabase - Plant Resources of Tropical Africa.
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://www.prota.org
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
An excellent on-line database with detailed information on over 3,200 species of useful plants of Africa.
].

The plant can be cut back quite severely when harvesting it. New shoots are soon produced from the lower stem[
299
Title
Protabase - Plant Resources of Tropical Africa.
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://www.prota.org
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
An excellent on-line database with detailed information on over 3,200 species of useful plants of Africa.
]

Edible Uses

Young leaves and inflorescences - cooked and eaten as a vegetable[
299
Title
Protabase - Plant Resources of Tropical Africa.
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://www.prota.org
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
An excellent on-line database with detailed information on over 3,200 species of useful plants of Africa.
].

Medicinal

The leaves are cooked in butter made from moabi nuts (Baillonella toxisperma), together with an unspecified fungus, and eaten to treat liver complaints and stitch. The leaves may also be combined with the bark of various trees, the rhizome of Sarcophrynium species and seeds of chilli to treat the same ailment[
299
Title
Protabase - Plant Resources of Tropical Africa.
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://www.prota.org
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
An excellent on-line database with detailed information on over 3,200 species of useful plants of Africa.
]s. The leaf sap is taken in draught with kaolin, melegueta pepper (Aframomum melegueta) and rock salt to treat heart troubles and to stop vomiting[
299
Title
Protabase - Plant Resources of Tropical Africa.
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://www.prota.org
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
An excellent on-line database with detailed information on over 3,200 species of useful plants of Africa.
].

Other Uses

The long pendulous roots are used as ties for yams[
299
Title
Protabase - Plant Resources of Tropical Africa.
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://www.prota.org
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
An excellent on-line database with detailed information on over 3,200 species of useful plants of Africa.
].
The central fibrous core of the roots is used as a fishing line[
299
Title
Protabase - Plant Resources of Tropical Africa.
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://www.prota.org
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
An excellent on-line database with detailed information on over 3,200 species of useful plants of Africa.
].

Propagation

Seed -
Cite as: Tropical Plants Database, Ken Fern. tropical.theferns.info. 2024-03-29. <tropical.theferns.info/viewtropical.php?id=Cercestis+mirabilis>

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