Telfairia pedata

Botanical Description

Oysternut is a vigorous, evergreen climbing plant, producing stems 30 metres or more long from a thick, tuberous, deep root system. The stems become woody with age and up to 10cm in diameter, scrambling over the ground and climbing into the surrounding trees where they attach themselves by means of tendrils[ 299 Title Protabase - Plant Resources of Tropical Africa. Publication Author Website http://www.prota.org Publisher Year 0 ISBN Description An excellent on-line database with detailed information on over 3,200 species of useful plants of Africa. , 303 Title World Agroforesty Centre Publication Author Website http://www.worldagroforestry.org/ Publisher Year 0 ISBN Description An excellent online database of a huge range of trees giving very good information on each plant - its uses, ecology, identity, propagation, pests etc. ]. The plant is an important food source in central, eastern and southern Africa, also providing medicines, oil and a polish. It is harvested from the wild and is also often grown commercially for its seed in central and eastern Africa, though it is seldom seen elsewhere in the tropics[ 298 Title Edible Leaves of the Tropics Publication Author Martin. F. W.; Ruberte. R. M. & Meitzner. L. S. Publisher Echo. USA. Year 1998 ISBN 0-9653360-1-8 Description A terse guide, giving reasonable detail on the more common leaf crops and brief information on a wide range of lesser known plants. , 303 Title World Agroforesty Centre Publication Author Website http://www.worldagroforestry.org/ Publisher Year 0 ISBN Description An excellent online database of a huge range of trees giving very good information on each plant - its uses, ecology, identity, propagation, pests etc. ]. It produces large fruits that can weigh 14 kilos and contain up to 70 seeds[ 63 Title Nuts. Publication Author Howes. F. N. Publisher Faber Year 1948 ISBN - Description Rather old but still a masterpiece. Has sections on tropical and temperate plants with edible nuts plus a section on nut plants in Britain. Very readable. ].