Rhoicissus tridentata (Bekele-Tesemma, 2007)
From PlantUse English
| Rhoicissus tridentata (Bekele-Tesemma, 2007) |
Rhoicissus tridentata Vitaceae Indigenous
Common names
- English: Bitter grape
- Amargna: Aba woldu, Wodel asfes
- Oromugna: Dangogo siyaka, Gale lala, Hida refe
- Somaligna: Hayab
- Tigrigna: Karshiro
Ecology
Found in East and Central Africa south to South Africa. A woody climber growing on rocky hillsides, in open grassy woodlands and at the margins of dry evergreen forests. In Ethiopia it grows in Moist and Wet Kolla, Dega and Weyna Dega agroclimatic zones of most regions, 1,200–2,400 m.
Uses
Food (fruit), medicine (roots), bee forage.
Description
A woody climber with tendrils, 4–10 m, or a small shrub. All parts with yellow hairs.
- BARK: Pale brown, smooth, powdery, branchlets often red, softly hairy, clear breathing pores (lenticels).
- LEAVES: 3 leathery leaflets, central leaflet oval to rounded, laterals narrower, often rounded at base, main veins run straight to the widely toothed leaf edge, always yellow-brown hairy below, stalk 4–7 cm long; simple tendrils opposite leaves.
- FLOWERS: Tiny, in dense flower heads about 3 cm across, on a long stalk opposite a leaf, buds dark purple, 5 purple-green petals spread like a star, with stamens bending over the dark centre, petals soon fall.
- FRUIT: Bunches of shiny berries about 1 cm across, red then black, 1–4 seeds edible flesh.
Propagation
Seedlings.
Seed
- Treatment: Not necessary.
Management
The plant has tendrils and requires something to climb and hook on. Stake the plants, or plant them where there are other plants to climb on.
Remarks
Plenty of bees visit the flowers.
