Mondia whitei (Hook.F.) Skeels

A tall climber. It has a large tuberous rootstock. The leaf stalk is about 5 cm long. The leaf blade is 15 cm long by 10 cm wide. It is rounded or heart shaped at the base. There is a frill of teeth at the base of the leaves. The flowering clusters are along the side. They are 15 cm long. They are purple. The fruit are 10 cm long by 3 cm wide. The seeds are flattened and have a tuft of hairs.

Found in a variety of habitats, ranging from humid forest, riverine forest, swamp forest and forest margins to humid or semi-dry savannah, sometimes along river banks, at elevations from sea-level up to 2,000 metres.

The roots are used for making ginger beer. The fleshy bark of the narrow roots is eaten raw and sometimes dried. It tastes hot and bitter at first then sweeter later. The root can be dried and stored. The leaves are eaten as a vegetable. They are chopped, dried and then cooked.

Plants can be grown from seeds or cuttings of roots or shoots.