Ampelocissus gracilipes
Encyclopedia
Ampelocissus gracilipes, also known as Abourbee (Akan-Twi
), is a climbing vine
or liana
in the Grape family
of tropical western Africa (Ghana
to Liberia
), in densely vegative, forested areas.
The stems which are semi-woody, thick and sturdy, but not very hard, start out with a dense covering of washy-brown hairs, giving way over time to a complexion of small warts. Both flowers and fruits are red.
is potable and abundant, and can be drunk like water. The fruits, whether they have ripened or not, are also edible, but are not consumed in great quantity.
Twi
Asante, or Ashanti, is one of three literary dialects of the Akan language of southern Ghana, and the prestige dialect of that language. It is spoken in and around Kumasi, the capital of the former Ashanti Empire and current subnational Asante Kingdom within Ghana.Along with the Akuapem dialect,...
), is a climbing vine
Vine
A vine in the narrowest sense is the grapevine , but more generally it can refer to any plant with a growth habit of trailing or scandent, that is to say climbing, stems or runners...
or liana
Liana
A liana is any of various long-stemmed, woody vines that are rooted in the soil at ground level and use trees, as well as other means of vertical support, to climb up to the canopy to get access to well-lit areas of the forest. Lianas are especially characteristic of tropical moist deciduous...
in the Grape family
Vitaceae
Vitaceae are a family of dicotyledonous flowering plants including the grapevine and Virginia creeper. The family name is derived from the genus Vitis...
of tropical western Africa (Ghana
Ghana
Ghana , officially the Republic of Ghana, is a country located in West Africa. It is bordered by Côte d'Ivoire to the west, Burkina Faso to the north, Togo to the east, and the Gulf of Guinea to the south...
to Liberia
Liberia
Liberia , officially the Republic of Liberia, is a country in West Africa. It is bordered by Sierra Leone on the west, Guinea on the north and Côte d'Ivoire on the east. Liberia's coastline is composed of mostly mangrove forests while the more sparsely populated inland consists of forests that open...
), in densely vegative, forested areas.
The stems which are semi-woody, thick and sturdy, but not very hard, start out with a dense covering of washy-brown hairs, giving way over time to a complexion of small warts. Both flowers and fruits are red.
Uses
The stem sapSap
Sap may refer to:* Plant sap, the fluid transported in xylem cells or phloem sieve tube elements of a plant* Sap , a village in the Dunajská Streda District of Slovakia...
is potable and abundant, and can be drunk like water. The fruits, whether they have ripened or not, are also edible, but are not consumed in great quantity.
