Maerua oblongifolia A.Rich.

Scrambling shrub up to 3 m. tall, or suffrutescent with lax sometimes decumbent or short erect branches.. Young twigs glabrous or minutely scabrous.. Leaves shortly petiolate, simple; blade narrowly to broadly oblong, 1.5–4 cm. long, 0.6–2 cm. wide, rounded to shortly attenuate at each end or subacute at the apex, sometimes emarginate, rigidly mucronate, leathery, pale green, glabrous, with the midrib prominent beneath.. Inflorescence a dense terminal or short axillary corymbose raceme or the flowers single in the upper leaf-axils; pedicels 3–17 mm. long, glabrous to densely pubescent.. Sepals (4–)6–14 mm. long, the margin and sometimes the external surface puberulous; receptacle 4–12 mm. long; disk with the free rim scarcely apparent.. Petals 5–9 mm. long, greenish-yellow.. Stamens 30–80; filaments 1.5–3 cm. long, white; anthers 1–2.5 mm. long.. Ovary cylindrical, 2–4 mm. long, glabrous.. Fruits cylindrical, 2–3 cm. long, divided into 2–3, somewhat alternating rows of globular sections parallel to the axis, sometimes markedly constricted between, verruculose, usually glabrous.

A tropical plant. It grows on stony and sandy soils. It will re-grow after fire. It grows between 300-1,350 m above sea level. It can grow in arid places.

The leaves are cooked and eaten. The root tastes like coconut and is eaten with sugar.