Eru (vegetable)
| Gnetum africanum | |
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| Gnetum africanum, from the coastal rainforest of Cameroon. | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Division: | Gnetophyta |
| Class: | Gnetopsida |
| Order: | Gnetales |
| Family: | Gnetaceae |
| Genus: | Gnetum |
| Species: | G. africanum |
| Binomial name | |
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Gnetum africanum |
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Gnetum africanum (eru or African Jointfir) is a vine gymnosperm species found natively throughout tropical Africa. Though bearing leaves, the genus Gnetum are gymnosperms, related to pine and other conifers.
Eru has numerous common names and is grown in various countries across Africa, including: Cameroon (Eru, okok, m’fumbua, or fumbua), Angola (KoKo), Nigeria (ukase or afang), Gabon (KoKo), Central African Republic (KoKo), Congo (KoKo), and the Democratic Republic of Congo (m’fumbua or fumbua). Eru has also been referred to as a form of ‘wild spinach’ in English.
Gnetum africanum is traditionally a wild vine and is considered to be a wild vegetable. It is a perennial that grows approximately 10 metres long, with thick papery-like leaves growing in groups of three. The leaves may grow approximately 8 cm long, and at maturity the vine will produce small cone-like reproductive structures. The seeds of the vine resemble a fleshy fruit, sized 10–15 mm × 4–8 mm, and are red-orange in colour when fully ripe.
Eru may also be known as G. africanum or G. buchholzianum, and are the only two vine species from the gnetum family. There are currently no gene banks for Eru, but approximately 19 varieties of the species have been planted in Cameroon’s Limbe Botanic Garden to begin a gene bank.
Gnetum africanum is found mainly in the humid tropical forest regions of Central African Republic, Cameroon, Gabon, Democratic Republic of the Congo and Angola. It has been found in primary and secondary semi-deciduous humid forests, both in dense and sunny transitional savannah locations, ranging from sea-level to 1200 meter altitude. The shade tolerant vine does not grow well in direct sunlight and can be found climbing on middle and under-story trees.
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Wikipedia