Ancylobotrys

petersiana: named after Professor Wilhelm Peters (1815-1863) of Berlin who collected in Mozambique in the early 19th century.

Climbing shrub up to 6 m or more, often climbing over other trees. Milky sap present. Branches often spotted with conspicuous lenticels. Leaves elliptic to obovate-elliptic, more or less thickly leathery, veining obscure above. The leaves become very discolorous when dry, blackish-green above, pale green or brown with conspicuous veining below. Flowers in elongated branched panicles; corolla c. 4 cm in diameter, white or creamy, sweetly scented. Fruit spherical, fleshy, 4.5-6 cm, velvety, edible.

Kenya and Tanzania southwards to S Africa; also in Madagascar