RAPHIONACME VIGNEI

This member of the Asclepiadaceae* family was given this name by James Bruce in 1936. It is found in Benin, Burkina, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Ghana, Guinea, Ivory Coast and Mali. I guess it is in Togo, Nigeria, Liberia and Sierre Leone, unless they have eaten them all. It is growing in a well drained soil from sand over a mix to gravel with some water and lots of sun. The caudex can grow to five centimetres in diameter and ten centimetres long, the entire plant to ten centimetres in height. The flowers are pale green..

The genera name from Greek rhaphis; 'beet-root' and akme; 'sharpness' possibly referring to the taste of the roots - haven't tried yet. I could do with some help on the species name! Could be named after some Vigne, but I fail to figure who. *)Accordantly to the latest taxonomic system; APG IV 2016, Asclepiadaceae is now part of the Apocynaceae.