Fockea Fockea Fockea crispa was first described by Carl Thunberg in 1794 as Cynanchum crispum and renamed in 1839. Some authorities regard F. capensis as a variety of F. edulis. The 11 Fockea species found in southern, eastern and tropical Africa have swollen, sometimes warty, tubers, which grow underground in habitat, and branching stems with opposite leaves.
Cooking is reported to inactivate the latex.
The small five-lobed flowers have a sweet scent and attract hoverflies. In England they appear freely in the early Autumn, but are not particularly showy. The tubers, which are the main feature of the plant, are much less warty than F. capensis. The foliage consists of several twining stems, arising from the tuber, with opposite leaves which are oval, smooth and glossy compared with the crinkled leaf form of F. capensis. A considerable length of stem is produced, and one is advised to provide a larger support trellis than initially seems necessary as the foliage will outgrow almost any support provided.