Common Name: Serendipity Berry

General Information

Serendipity berry is a perennial climbing plant with stems up to 1.8 metres long growing from tubers around 2cm in diameter. The stems, which often become more or less woody and persist, scramble over the ground and twine into other plants for support[, ].
The plant is harvested from the wild for its edible fruit and root. It is occasionally cultivated, especially in Ghana[].

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

Range

Western, central and northeastern tropical Africa.

Habitat

Dense rain-forest and galleried forest, often in old cultivation sites[].

Properties

Edibility Rating
Medicinal Rating
Habit	Climber
Height	1.80 m
Cultivation Status	Cultivated, Wild

Cultivation Details

A dioecious species, both male and female forms need to be grown if fruit and seed are required[].

Edible Uses

Fruit - raw. The intensely sweet, mucilaginous pulp of the fruit is considered to be the sweetest known naturally occurring substance - it is up to 3,000 times sweeter than sucrose[, ]. It has been recommended as a non-carbohydrate sugar substitute[]. The fruit can keep for several weeks at room temperature without losing its sweetness[, ]. The fruit is a small, subovoid drupe up to 35mm long[].

Roots. Small and yam-like[]. They can be eaten like potatoes[].

Medicinal

The root is considered as a sexual stimulant[].
The pungent peel of the roots is used to cure wounds[].

The softened stem, devoid of hairs, is applied as a plaster on swollen limbs[].

The viscid sap of the stem is applied as a poultice to extract abscesses and spines and is also used as a wash against venereal diseases[].

Other Uses

None known

Propagation

Seed - germination is inhibited by light[].
Division of tubers.

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