Landolphia membranacea
| Landolphia membranacea | |
|---|---|
| Scientific name | Landolphia membranacea |
| Common names | Mba; Elonk, Finste |
| Genus | Landolphia |
| Family | Apocynaceae |
| Order | Gentianales |
| Native range | Western tropical Africa (Guinea to Côte d'Ivoire; also recorded for Sierra Leone and Liberia) |
| Growth form | Tendril-bearing climbing shrub or liana |
| Climate and site | Seasonally dry tropical biome; forest-zone settings |
| Propagation | Seed (documented propagation entry; no species-specific protocol published) |
| Fruit | Edible wild fruit, reported usually up to about 5 cm long and about 3 cm in diameter in an Akwa Ibom sample |
Landolphia membranacea is a tendril-bearing climbing shrub or liana in the dogbane family (Apocynaceae), native to western tropical Africa and gathered from the wild for its edible fruit and latex.[1][2] The genus Landolphia comprises tropical African Apocynaceae climbers with terminal tendrils and sympodial growth.[3] The accepted name is Landolphia membranacea, first published in 1953, with Clitandra membranacea recorded as a synonym.[4]
Description[edit | edit source]
Landolphia membranacea is a slender climbing shrub whose stems attach to other plants by tendrils.[2] Its native range is western tropical Africa, from Guinea to Côte d'Ivoire in one account and including Sierra Leone and Liberia in another, in forest and seasonally dry tropical settings.[2][4][3] Local names recorded for the species include Mba[1] and Elonk and Finste.[3] Like other members of the genus it is a liana with terminal tendrils and sympodial growth, and the stems produce latex.[3][2]
Cultivation[edit | edit source]
No species-specific cultivation trial has been published for this wild-harvested plant; the guidance below starts from the documented genus pattern and native habitat and should be confirmed for the species before being treated as a fixed requirement.[2][3][4]
Soil and water[edit | edit source]
The species grows wild in forest-zone settings within a seasonally dry tropical biome.[2][4] As a genus-level starting point for Landolphia, use a well-aerated, free-draining root zone with organic matter and dependable moisture while shoots are actively growing, then let the surface dry between waterings going into the dry season rather than keeping constant saturation; confirm this pattern for Landolphia membranacea before treating it as a requirement.[3]
Sun and humidity[edit | edit source]
The plant is a climber of forest and drier tropical woodland, so a bright, airy position with a support to climb into is a reasonable genus-level starting point, with dappled light tolerated where it would naturally grow under canopy.[2][3] Neither a shade percentage nor a humidity requirement is published for the species; match local tropical conditions and maintain airflow rather than enclosing the foliage.
Seasonal changes[edit | edit source]
The native range follows a seasonally dry tropical rhythm, so the natural pattern is vigorous growth and fruit development in the wet season with reduced moisture in the dry season.[4][2] No fixed flowering or harvest calendar is published for cultivated plants; read the local wet/dry cycle and protect young plants from extremes while establishing.
Propagation[edit | edit source]
Seed is the documented propagation entry for the species, though no species-specific pretreatment, sowing depth, germination time, or seed-storage schedule is published.[2] A South Florida grower working with a Saba/Landolphia vine (identity not verified down to species) reported repeated difficulty germinating seeds, recommended keeping the seed medium moist but not soggy, and found young seedlings tolerant of both full sun and shade in that setting; treat that as a single contextual report rather than a universal protocol.[5]
Flowering, fruiting, and harvest[edit | edit source]
The species is wild-harvested; in the Akwa Ibom study area it was collected only from wild plants, not from cultivation.[1] The examined fruit sample was reported usually up to about 5 cm long and about 3 cm in diameter.[1] No planted-crop schedule for flowering, ripening, or harvest timing is published for the species; in a seasonally dry climate, fruit development should follow the local wet/dry rhythm.
Fruit and uses[edit | edit source]
The fruit is eaten locally in the Akwa Ibom region of Nigeria, where it is among the commonly consumed wild fruits.[1] A regional laboratory analysis reported proximate, mineral, anti-nutrient, and phytochemical composition of sampled fruit; those results reflect one regional sample and are not a food-safety or nutritional guarantee.[1] The species account lists the fruit as edible and the plant as a source of latex, while no species-specific toxicity testing was located; the wild-food record alone does not establish food safety.[2] Genus-level nutritional and pharmacological information remains limited.[3]
References[edit | edit source]
- ↑ [1] Bassey, M.E. 2012. Common wild fruits from Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria and nutritional analyses of Landolphia membranacea (Stapf) Pichon. Central European Journal of Experimental Biology 1(2):49–52, accessed 2026-10-01.
- ↑ [2] Useful Tropical Plants: Landolphia membranacea, accessed 2026-10-01.
- ↑ [3] Oladeji, O.S., Oluyori, A.P., and Dada, A.O. 2024. Landolphia genus: Ethnobotanical, phytochemical and pharmacological studies. Phytomedicine Plus, accessed 2026-10-01.
- ↑ [4] Plants of the World Online: Landolphia membranacea, accessed 2026-10-01.
- ↑ [5] Tropical Fruit Forum: Saba senegalensis discussion thread (Saba/Landolphia grower report), accessed 2026-10-01.