Common Name:African Gnetum
Description
Gnetum africanum is a dioecious forest perrenial liana up to 10 m long but sometimes longer; branches somewhat thickened at the nodes, glabrous.
Leaves decussately opposite, sometimes in whorls of 3, simple, ovate-oblong or elliptic-oblong, more rarely lanceolate, 5-13 cm long, 2- 5 cm broad, attenuate at base, abruptly acuminate, obtuse or minutely apiculate, entire, thick-papery, glabrous, pale green above, paler beneath, with 3-6 pairs of strongly curved lateral veins looped near the margin; stipules absent; petiole up to 1 cm long. Read more
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Meet the crops
Lens culinaris
Common Name: Lentils
Description
The lentil (Lens culinaris) is an edible pulse. It is a bushy annual plant of the legume family, known for its lens-shaped seeds. It is about 40 cm (16 in) tall, and the seeds grow in pods, usually with two seeds in each. . . . .Read more
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Xanthosoma sagittifolium
Common Name: Elephant ears
Description
In Bolivia, it is called walusa, in Colombia bore, in Costa Rica tiquizque or macal, in Mexico mafafa, in Nicaragua quequisque, and in Panama otoe. In Brazil, the leaves are sold as taioba. The tuber (called nampi or malanga) is also used in the cuisine of these countries. The plant is often interplanted within reforestation areas to control weeds and provide shade during the early stages of growth.
In Puerto Rican cuisine, the plant and its corm are called yautia. In Puerto Rican pasteles, yautia is ground with squash, potato, green bananas and plantains into a dough-like fluid paste containing pork and ham, and boiled in a banana leaf or paper wrapper. The yautia corm is used in stews, soups, or simply served boiled much like a potato. It is used in local dishes such as guanime, alcapurrias, sancocho, and mondongo. In alcapurrias, it is also ground with green bananas and made into fried croquettes containing picadillo or sea food. Yautia majada . . . . .Read more
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Digitaria exilis
Common Name: Fonio
Description
Digitaria exilis, with English common names white fonio, fonio millet, and hungry rice or acha rice, is a grass species. It is the most important of a diverse group of wild and domesticated Digitaria species known as fonio that are harvested in the savannas of West Africa. The grains are very small. It has potential to improve nutrition, boost food security, foster rural development and support sustainable use of the land. . . . .Read more
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