Common Name:

General Information

Dioclea reflexa is a vigorous, evergreen climbing shrub with twining, woody stems. Older stems can be up to 5cm thick[, , ].
The plant is harvested fom the wild for local use as a food, medicine and source of materials. The plant has potential for a wider use of its seed as human food, and also as a source of an effective larvicide.

Known Hazards

The seeds of many species in this genus are likely to be used as an emergency food in times of need. We have no specific information on this species, but the seeds of many (if not all) of the species in this genus contain antinutritional substances[]. This is not unusual - the seeds of many commonly eaten legumes (including the various Phaseolus species) also often contain antinutritional substances -these are largely removed in the cooking or other preparatory process (such as sprouting). Unless there is clear information that the seeds of this species are completely safe to eat, then it would be unwise to eat them raw; or to consume large quantities of them in one meal; or to consume then on a regular basis over a long period of time[].

Botanical References

Range

Tropical Africa - Guinea-Bissau to Cameroon, south to Angola; S. America - Brazil, Peru, Ecuador, Venezuela, the Guyanas; C. America - Panama, Guatema

Habitat

Wet forests and thickets near sea level[].

Properties

Edibility Rating
Medicinal Rating
Other Uses Rating
Habit	Evergreen Climber
Height	15.00 m
Cultivation Status	Wild

Cultivation Details

Both the seed and leaf have high economic values in culinary and pharmaceutical industries[].

Edible Uses

The seed is a potential food source. It contains around 14% protein, 8% fats and 58% carohydrates, but there needs to be further work carried out to see if there are any antinutritional substances[]
The endosperm, which is rich in gum is pulverized and used as thickener in many traditional food preparations, while there are several reports on its suitability in processed foods, including use as a rheology modifier[]. The cake and seed flour has appreciable levels of protein that could serve as an important protein source in human foods[].
The mature pods are 10 - 15 (occasionally to 20)cm. long, around 5cm wide, and around 2cm thick. They contain 3 - 4 hard biconvex seeds, 26 - 29mm in greatest diameter. They are usually tan, brown, or dusky coloured, and rarely mottled[].

An oil is obtained from the seed. It has both unsaturated fatty acids (especially oleic acid) and saturated fatty acids (especially palmitic acid and stearic acid)[].

Medicinal

A decoction of the root is used to alleviate coronary pain[].

A methanolic extract of the seed has shown the capacity to boost haematological parameters and protect the kidney and blood from oxidative and related injuries under acute and chronic toxicological challenges[].

A decoction or poultice of the leaves is applied topically to treat aches and pains, skin rashes and sores[].

The seed of this species (and many other members of the genus) contain lectins that have a range of actions within the body that are of interest to the pharmaceutical industry. Many have the potential as the basis of new drugs to treat a range of diseases including cancer.

Other Uses

The reddish-brown seeds are nearly spherical and slightly flattened with one side rounded, the other straight. They are worn as pendants and used in necklaces in the Old and New World tropics[].
The seeds are used like marbles in a traditional child's game in Nigeria[, ].

The seeds are used in Africa as an insecticide and arachnicide[].
An aqueous extract of the seeds produced 100% mortality in third stage mosquito larvae of Aedes aegypti[].

Propagation

The seed has a very tough seedcoat and a firm flesh. Many species in the genus grow near rivers or the sea and their seeds can be carried for many months over long distances in the water, whilst retaining viability. It is believed that the seed of some species can retain viability for over 100 years in the soil so long as the seedcoat is not damaged. In order to get the seeds to germinate within one's own lifetime, it is generally necessary to damage the seedcoat without damaging the flesh inside. This can be done quite easily by either cutting a notch into the seedcoat, or abrading it with sandpaper. Once this is done, soak the seed for 12 hours in warm water and it should germinate quite quickly[].

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