Adenia lanceolata

Wonderful exemplar of caudex, characterized by woody basal stem of generally round shape, sometimes equipped with asymmetric protuberances and completely covered by a rough and wrinkled bark. From the caudex depart, in the vegetative season, thin and twisted stems with climbing character, equipped with pleasant emerald green leaves of lanceolate shape (hence the name of the species), rather narrow and rich in veins along the upper surface. A curiosity: the caudiciform tuber, fundamental water reserve for the survival of the plant, was even used in the past by the native populations to suck it’s water and survive even in the desert!