Strophanthus kombe

Strophanthus kombe Oliv.

Common names

Kombe poison rope, kombe tail flower (English); musimba, mushimba (Bemba); ulembe, bulembe (Bemba/Kunda/Tumbuka); mbobo, mkombe (Nyanja).

General description and distinguishing characteristics

Strophanthus kombe is an attractive climbing vine up to 20 m tall and with a diameter of up to 10 cm. Bark reddish brown or grey-brown; branchlets densely hairy; latex clear, white or yellow. Leaves simple, opposite ovate or elliptic, 8–24 x 5–17 cm, densely hairy on both surfaces. Petiole 1–5 mm long. Flowers pale yellow, red-spotted inside; corolla lobes up to 2.5 cm long with trailing tails up to 12 cm long, produced on 4-7 flowered cymes appearing with the new leaves (October-November). Fruit woody twin capsules 15–47 cm long, 1–2.6 cm in diameter, tapering to a knob, lenticellate, hispid; seeds 11–21 mm long, densely pubescent, (August-September).

Range and habitat

Strophanthus kombe is found throughout the Zambezian region and northwards into Tanzania and Kenya. In the Luangwa Valley it occurs in Mopane woodland on sand and in thicket. It also occurs on rocky slopes, especially on President's Hill.