Decline of Indigenous Crop Diversity in Colonial and Postcolonial Rwanda

Table 4

Checklist of key wild edible plants of Rwanda and their respective levels of threat of extinction****.

Family name	Species name		Status	Threat
	Latin	Kinyarwanda
Euphorbiaceae	Acalypha bipartita Müll.Arg.	Ingese, Umuheka	Native	Low
Apocynaceae	Acokanthera schimperi (A.DC.) Schweinf.	Umusagwe	Native	High
Apocynaceae	Ancylobotrys amoena Hua	Umukamire	Native	High
Aspleniaceae	Asplenium monanthes Linn.	Injugushu	Native	Fair
Rubiaceae	Canthium lactescens Hiern	Umukondokondo	Native	High
Capparidaceae	Capparis erythrocarpos Isert	Umutugunguru	Native	High
Capparidaceae	Capparis tomentosa Lam.	Umutugunguru	Native	High
Brassicaceae	Cardamine obliqua Hochst. ex A. Rich.	Isaga	Native	Low
Caricaceae	Carica cundinamarcensis Hook. f.	Ipapayi	Exotic	High
Apocynaceae	Carissa edulis Forssk. Vahl	Umunyonza	Native	Fair
Cyperaceae	Cyperus papyrus Linn.	Urufunzo	Native	Fair
Flacourtiaceae	Dovyalis macrocalyx (Oliv.) Warb.	Umutegengeri	Native	High
Flacourtiaceae	Dovyalis spinosissima Gilg	Amakome	Native	High
Leguminosae	Eriosema nutans Schinz	Inanka	Native	High
Leguminosae	Eriosema pauciflorum Klotzsch	Inanka	Native	High
Asteraceae	Galinsoga parviflora Cav.	Kimari	Exotic	Low
Clusiaceae	Garcinia buchananii Bak.	Umusarasi	Native	High
Anarcardiaceae	Lannea schimperi (Hochst.) Engl.	Igisenzegwa	Native	High
Anarcardiaceae	Lannea fulva (Engl.) Engl.	Umumuna	Native	High
Urticaceae	Laportea alatipes Hook. f.	Igisura	Native	High
Moraceae	Myrianthus holstii Engl.	Umwufe	Native	High
Nymphaeaceae	Nymphaea lotus Linn.	Amarebe	Native	High
Nymphaeaceae	Nymphaea nouchali Burm. f.	Amarebe	Native	Fair
Oxalidaceae	Oxalis corniculata Linn.	Munyuwanyamanza	Native	Low
Sapindaceae	Pappea capensis Eckl. & Zeyh.	Umumena	Native	Fair
Sapindaceae	Pappea ugandensis Baker f.	Umuremampango	Native	Fair
Chrysobalanaceae	Parinari curatellifolia Planch. ex Benth.	Umunazi	Native	High
Sapindaceae	Paullinia capensis Eckl et Zeyh.	Umuremampango	Native	High
Solanaceae	Physalis peruviana Linn.	Umuhuhu	Exotic	Low
Anarcardiaceae	Rhus vulgaris Meikle	Umusagara	Native	Fair
Rosaceae	Rubus apetalus Poir.	Umukeri	Native	High
Rosaceae	Rubus kirungensis Engl.	Umukeri	Native	High
Rosaceae	Rubus rigidus SM.	Umukeri	Native	High
Rosaceae	Rubus steudneri Schweinf	Umukeri	Native	High
Polygonaceae	Rumex usambarensis (Engl.) Dammer	Umufumba	Native	Low
Solanaceae	Solanum aurantiacobaccatum De Wild.	Igitagarasoryo	Native	High
Solanaceae	Solanum taitense Vatke	Intagashya	Native	High
Loganiaceae	Strychnos innocua Del.	Umuhonnyo	Native	High
Loganiaceae	Strychnos potatorum L. f.	Umuhonnyo	Native	High
Loganiaceae	Strychnos spinosa Lam.	Umuhonnyo	Native	High
Loganiaceae	Strychnos lucens Bak.	Umuhonnyo	Native	High
Typhaceae	Typha latifolia Linn.	Umuberanya	Native	Fair
Olacaceae	Ximenia caffra Sond.	Amashereka	Native	Fair
Gramineae	Yushania alpina (K. Schum.) W. C. Lin	Intoke	Native	Fair

∗∗∗∗Most of plant species in this table are edible fruits, of which two are Tropical America-originated species (Carica cundinamarcensis and Physalis peruviana) that may have been introduced in post-Columbian era such that they had already naturalize at the arrival of Europeans. The few edible leaves include Laportea alatipes (Urticaceae), Rumex usambarensis (polygonanaceae), and Acalypha bipartita (Euphorbiaceae). The sour berries of Solanum taitense (Euphorbiaceae) are said to be usable as condiments. Ashes of leaves of Typha latifolia (Typhaceae) were traditionally used as salt. Edible roots include those of Nymphaea nouchalii and Nymphaea lotus (Nymphaeaceae).