Common Name:

General Information

Vatovaea pseudolablab is a shrub, usually with a climbing habit. It produces branched, often nodulous, pale reddish brown glabrous to sparsely pubescent stems 1 - 3 metres tall from an enormous woody tuber[, ].
The plant is harvested from the wild for local use as a food and source of fibre. Farmers commonly grow and consume this plant, but others tend not to eat it except in times of food shortages[].
Vatovaea pseudolablab populations are dwindling in East Africa and in the Arabian Peninsula because it is a popular food and fodder. Its genetic pool is likely to shrink fast if no action is taken. It has not yet been evaluated by the IUCN[].

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

Range

East tropical Africa - Southern Sudan, Djibouti, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Somalia, Uganda, Kenya, Tanzania; Arabia - Yemen, Oman.

Habitat

Dry grassland or bushland, often along lava or drainage lines, occasionally in seasonally wet grassland on clay; at elevations up to 1,500 metres[].

Properties

Edibility Rating
Other Uses Rating
Habit	Climber
Height	2.00 m
Pollinators	Self, Insects
Self-fertile	Yes
Cultivation Status	Cultivated, Wild

Cultivation Details

A plant of drier areas in the tropics, where it can be found at elevations up to 1,500 metres. It grows in areas where the mean annual rainfall is within the range 250 - 600mm[].

The tuberous roots can be dug out any time of the year; they are best gathered when the foliage has died back[].

Edible Uses

Seeds - raw or cooked[]. They can be boiled or roasted[].

Immature pods - raw or cooked as a vegetable[].

Flowers - raw or cooked as a vegetable[].

Leaves - raw or cooked as a vegetable[].

Roots - raw or cooked[]. The juicy roots have a pleasant, sweet taste, even when raw, but are fibrous[]. They are consumed raw or after boiling or roasting. They are sometimes eaten as a snack, especially after roasting; they are also used as emergency food and as a source of water for travellers[]. Flour made from the dried and pounded roots is mixed with sorghum flour to prepare a stiff porridge. It is normally stored and used in lean periods[].
Flour is produced from the roots by peeling them, chopping, drying and then grinding them[].

Medicinal

None known

Other Uses

The root fibres are made into rope, hats and fly whisks[].

Propagation

Seed -

Add a Comment:

If you have any useful information about this plant, please leave a comment. Comments have to be approved before they are shown here.

Name:

Email(Private):

Message:

Captcha: How many fingers does the typical human have?