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The tuber of ''Adenia digitata'' contains cyanogenic glycosides, mainly tetraphyllin B (barterioside), and the very potent toxin modeccin, a toxalbumin, which inhibits protein synthesis in vitro.
== Botany Description ==
Perennial climbing herb, usually dioecious, with a tuber up to 60 cm in diameter; stems annual, up to 3 m long. Leaves alternate, deeply (3–)5-cleft or -foliolate, orbicular in outline; stipules narrowly triangular, 1–3 mm long, withering; petiole 1–9 cm long; lobes or leaflets ovate to obovate or linear, sometimes deeply lobed, 1.5–15 cm × 1–4(–7) cm, rounded to acute at apex, with glands at base. Inflorescence an axillary cyme, with a 2–10 cm long tendril between the branches, 1–20(–60)-flowered; peduncle up to 7 cm long. Flowers usually unisexual, regular, 5-merous; pedicel up to 3 cm long, jointed about halfway; calyx tube about as long as lobes; petals free, included in calyx, usually toothed; male flowers up to 2.5 cm long, filaments of stamens fused in lower half and anthers curved inward and clinging together, ovary rudimentary; female flowers up to 2 cm long, ovary superior, ovoid to oblong, styles 3, fused at base, stigmas kidney-shaped, stamens rudimentary. Fruit a stalked ovoid to ellipsoid capsule 3–5.5(–7.5) cm × 2–4 cm, smooth, orange to yellow when ripe, many-seeded. Seeds ovoid to ellipsoid, flattened, 6–8 mm × 4.5–6.5 mm × 3 mm, brown, pitted.
== Other botanical information == ''Adenia'' comprises about 95 species, with about 60 species on the African continent, 20 in Madagascar and 15 in Asia. The genus is subdivided in 6 sections. ''Adenia digitata'' is classified in section ''Blepharanthes''. == ''Adenia repanda'' ==''[[Adenia repanda]]'' (Burch.) Engl. from section ''Paschanthus'' also occurs in southern Africa, from Angola east to Zimbabwe and south to South Africa, and is reported to be deadly poisonous to man. However, ''Adenia repanda'' is also reported to be greedily eaten by livestock.
== Ecology ==
== Correct citation of this article ==
de Ruijter, A., 2007. '''Adenia digitata''' (Harv.) Engl. [Internet] Record from PROTA4U. In: Schmelzer, G.H. & Gurib-Fakim, A. (Editors). PROTA (Plant Resources of Tropical Africa / Ressources végétales de l’Afrique tropicale), Wageningen, Netherlands. <http://www.prota4u.org/search.asp>. Accessed {{CURRENTDAY}} {{CURRENTMONTHNAME}} {{CURRENTYEAR}}.