Gnetum buchholzianum Engl.

Jointfir (en), Koko (fr)

Species

Gymnosperms > Gnetales > Gnetaceae > Gnetum

Characteristics

A climber. It is an evergreen plant. The stems can be 10-15 m long. The branches are thickened at the nodes. The leaves are opposite but each pair is at right angles to the next one. They can be in rings of three. The leaf blade is narrowly oval and 8-15 cm long by 4.8 cm wide. The base is rounded and they taper to the tip. The leaves are dark green above and paler underneath. They have 4-8 pairs of strongly curved veins. The flowers are in a spike in the axils of leaves or near the ends of branches. The flowers are of separate sexes. The seeds are narrowly oval and 10-15 mm long by 4-8 mm wide. They have a fleshy covering. They turn orange or red when ripe.
Life form -
Growth form shrub
Growth support -
Foliage retention evergreen
Sexuality dioecy
Pollination -
Spread -
Mature width (meter) -
Mature height (meter) 10.0
Root system rhizome
Rooting depth (meter) -
Root diameter (meter) -
Flower color -
Blooming months -
Fruit color -
Fruiting months -
Nitrogen fixer -
Photosynthetic pathway -

Environment

A tropical plant. It grows in rainforest from sea level to 1,200 m altitude. It suits humid locations. It does best with a rainfall of 3,000 mm per year. It needs shade. Plants do not grow well in full sun.
More
The understorey layer of humid tropical rainforests. Thrives in a wide range of habitats, including farm fallows or abandoned farmland, secondary forests, and closed forest.
Light 1-9
Soil humidity 4-6
Soil texture 1-6
Soil acidity -
Soil nutriment -
Hardiness (USDA) 10-12

Usage

The leaves are eaten raw or cooked. They are also added to sauces. The fruit and seeds are eaten. The leaves can be shredded and dried and stored for later use.
Uses food gene source leaf vegetable material medicinal
Edible fruits leaves nuts saps seeds stems tubers
Therapeutic use -
Human toxicity -
Animal toxicity -

Cultivation

Plants can be grown from seed but seed may take one year to germinate. Leafy stem cuttings can be used. Plants need a framework to climb, preferably a tree to provide shade.
Mode cuttings seedlings
Germination duration (days) -
Germination temperacture (C°) -
Germination luminosity -
Germination treatment -
Minimum temperature (C°) -
Optimum temperature (C°) -
Size -
Vigor -
Productivity -

Distribution

Gnetum buchholzianum world distribution map, present in Central African Republic, Congo, Gabon, and Nigeria

Conservation status

Gnetum buchholzianum threat status: Near Threatened

Identifiers

LSID urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:383505-1
WFO ID wfo-0000795570
COL ID 6KN9R
BDTFX ID -
INPN ID -
Wikipedia (EN)
Wikipedia (FR)

Synonyms

Gnetum buchholzianum Thoa buchholziana