''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.