There has in the past been some confusion in the literature between this species and Pentarrhinum abyssinicum, with plants of Pentarrhinum abyssinicum being wrongly treated as this species[].

Common Name:

General Information

Pentarrhinum insipidum is a herbaceous, perennial climbing plant, producing strongly-branched annual stems 2 - 3 metres long from elongated, tuberous roots[].The stems scramble over the ground and twine into the surrounding vegetation[].
A popular vegetable in southern Africa, where the plant is commonly harvested fom the wild for local use. It is considered to have potential for growing commercially[].

Known Hazards

There have been occasionl reports that the plant is poisonous, though it is certainly not[].

Botanical References

Range

Africa - Sudan, Ethiopia, Kenya, Tanzania, northern Zambia, Namibia, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Mozambique, S. Africa.

Habitat

Shrubland and savannah, in dry or well-drained conditions, but does not tolerate extremes of dry and wet. It ranges at elevations from sea-level to 2,200 metres, but mainly from 600 - 1,600 metres[].

Properties

Edibility Rating
Medicinal Rating
Habit	Perennial Climber
Height	2.50 m
Cultivation Status	Wild

Cultivation Details

Found from the tropics to the subtropics, it can be cultivated almost anywhere - from areas with strong frosts to hot and humid areas. It dies back in unfavourable conditions and resprouts when conditions improve[].
Grows best in areas with some shade[]. Prefers a sandy soil[].

Edible Uses

Young leaves - raw or cooked as a vegetable[, ]. Sometimes the leaves are pounded with the leaves of other species, or with the tubers of several small species[]. Vitamin C content of the young leaf has been recorded as 16.1 mg/100 gm[].

Young fruits - raw or cooked as a vegetable[, ]. Only the outer layers are eaten, the insides are generally scooped out and discarded as having a bad taste[]. The fruits exude a copious amount of harmless latex and have a nutty, slightly peppery flavour[]. The young fruits may be stored for 3 weeks before they deteriorate; older fruits (when the seeds inside have turned brown) become too hard to make good eating[].

Medicinal

Water in which the leaves have been heated is used as a wash on boils, which are then covered with the hot leaves[, ].

The water in which the roots have been soaked is used to wash sores, which are then covered by leaves heated on a fire[].

Other Uses

None known

Propagation

Seed - best sown when fresh - remove the tufts of hair and sow the seed in a well-drained mix of one part sandy soil and one part compost. Cover seeds lightly with the mix. Water regularly and ensure that the substrate is kept moist until the seedlings are large enough to transplant. Decrease watering during winter[]. Seedlings grow away quickly[].

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