Dioscoreophyllum volkensii

Dioscoreophyllum volkensii
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Order: Ranunculales
Family: Menispermaceae
Genus: Dioscoreophyllum
Species:
D. volkensii
Binomial name
Dioscoreophyllum volkensii
Synonyms
  • Dioscoreophyllum fernandense Hutch. & Dalziel
  • Dioscoreophyllum podandrium Exell
  • Dioscoreophyllum tenerum Engl.

Dioscoreophyllum volkensii, the serendipity berry, is a tropical dioecious rainforest vine in the family Menispermaceae. It is native throughout most of tropical Africa from Sierra Leone east to Eritrea, and south to Angola and Mozambique. It grows at low altitudes, from sea level up to 400 m. Some authors separate plants from above 200 m as a separate species D. cumminsii (Stapf) Diels.

There are two varieties:

  • Dioscoreophyllum volkensii var. volkensii. Endemic to the island of Bioko in Equatorial Guinea.
  • Dioscoreophyllum volkensii var. fernandense (Hutch. & Dalziel) Troupin. Mainland Africa.