About Ancylobothrys capensis (Oliv.) Pichon
Ancylobothrys capensis, commonly known as the wild apricot, is a tangled, sprawling, multi-stemmed evergreen creeper in the Apocynaceae family that is native to Southern Africa. It often grows scrambling over rocks and other plants. Its new growth is covered in velvety, reddish-brown hairs. When damaged, the plant oozes large amounts of white latex. Its leaves are leathery, simple, opposite, erect, broadly elliptic, and have prominent venation on both leaf surfaces. The flowers are fragrant, measure around 40 millimeters across, open as a brilliant white color, and are pinkish when in bud. The plant produces round fruits that can reach up to 50 millimeters in diameter. Immature fruits are khaki-green, and ripen to a bright orange or yellow. The fruit skin is thick, soft, brittle, and easy to peel. Each fruit holds 3 to 4 seeds embedded in a sweet, tasty acidic pulp. This common species grows in rocky areas, particularly on quartzite, and can be found throughout KwaZulu-Natal, Mpumalanga, Gauteng, Limpopo Province, North West Province, and Botswana.
