Barleria

Barleria opaca

leaf

A scrambling shrub with hairy stems in lowland forest undergrowth, from Côte d'Ivoire to Gabon, with bell-shaped white to very pale blue flowers. Its leaves, gathered from the wild, are eaten as a vegetable, notably in Ghana and Gabon; in English it is called child's vegetable.

Origin

West and Central Africa (Ghana, Gabon)

Season (United States)

all year round

Preparation

The leaves and young shoots are rinsed and cooked for a few minutes, boiled, steamed or in a sauce; they are eaten cooked.

Molecules

Beta-carotene (vitamin A) · Lutein and zeaxanthin · Vegetable nitratesIn small amounts, not counted Chlorophyll

Did you know?

The genus is named after Jacques Barrelier, a 17th-century French botanist.