African medlar
Vangueria infausta

Family: Rubiaceae

What it is like

Vangueria infausta, known as African Medlar, is a low-branching tree reaching a height of 8 m and is native to the southern and eastern Afrotropics. It is tolerant to drought but growth rate is slow. The bark is brown and flaky, and leaves are large, opposite, dull, and vary in shape. Flowers are green and in dense clusters. The fruits are glossy and green when young, then become tan as it mature. African medlar is a traditional food plant in Africa and provides medicinal uses. The fruits are consumed raw or its pulp is dried and stored for later use. The seeds can be roasted. The roots are used to treat snake-bite, malaria, pneumonia, heart ailments and coughs, while the leaves are used for swellings on the legs, inflammation of the navel in children, abdominal pain, and dental pain. The wood is used as poles for houses, tool handles, and agricultural implements. It is also used for fuel.

Vangueria infausta is a deciduous Shrub growing to 5 m (16ft) by 5 m (16ft) at a slow rate. See above for USDA hardiness. It is hardy to UK zone 10. The flowers are pollinated by Bees, Insects. Suitable for: light (sandy), medium (loamy) and heavy (clay) soils and prefers well-drained soil. Suitable pH: mildly acid, neutral and basic (mildly alkaline) soils. It can grow in semi-shade (light woodland) or no shade. It prefers dry or moist soil and can tolerate drought.

Height (m): 5

Where it is found

Grassland, thicket and open woodlands, often on termite mounds, in rocky places and even dunes at elevations from near sea level to 1,500 metres.

Tropical Africa - Cameroon to Kenya, south to Namibia, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Mozambique and northern S.

Conservation Status: This taxon has not yet been assessed

Countries/locations it is found in

Cameroon; Rwanda; Kenya; Tanzania, United Republic of; Uganda; Malawi; Mozambique; Zambia; Zimbabwe; Namibia; South Africa; Congo, The Democratic Republic of the; Angola; Swaziland; Sudan; South Sudan, Africa, Angola, Botswana, Central Africa, Central African Republic, Congo, East Africa, Namibia, Rwanda, South Africa, Southern Africa, Swaziland, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia, Zululand, Zimbabwe,

How it is used

Food

Rating: 4

Fruit - raw. A soft, fleshy pulp. An acid, somewhat sweetish-sour flavour. The brown pulp round the seeds tastes somewhat like stewed dried, apple-rings. The pulp is sometimes soaked in water and then dried for later use. The green fruit usually ripens to a dull orange-brown or purplish colour. It is 15 - 47mm in diameter. Seeds - raw. They can also be made into a relish.

Medicine

Rating: 2

The root is anthelmintic, antidote and purgative. A popular snake-bite remedy, it is also used to treat a variety of complaints such as malaria, pneumonia, coughs and other chest troubles. A warm decoction of the roots is considered to be an effective remedy for heart ailments in Namibia. The leaves are applied externally as a treatment for swellings on the legs; inflammation of the navel in children; abdominal pain; and for the relief of dental pain.

Anthelmintic: Expels parasites from the gut.

Antidote: Counters poisoning.

Antiinflammatory: Reduces inflammation of joints, injuries etc.

Antitussive: Prevents or relieves coughing.

Malaria: Treats malaria - an acute febrile illness caused by Plasmodium parasites spread to people through the bites of mosquitos.

Odontalgic: Treats toothache (temporary measure only) and other problems of the teeth and gums.

Purgative: A drastic laxative causing a cleansing or watery evacuation of the bowels, usually with a griping pain.

Other

Rating: 2

Other Uses The wood can be used as poles for houses, tool handles and agricultural implements. The wood is considered a good fuel in some areas, though in others it is said to bring bad luck if burnt.

Fuel: Usually wood, plant materials that have been mentioned as being a good fuel.

Wood: A list of the trees and shrubs that are noted for having useful wood.

Food Forest: Plants for Edible Forest Gardens and Food Forests.

How it is grown

A tree of the subtropics to tropics, usually growing in areas with a distinct dry season at elevations up to 1,500m . It grows best in areas where annual daytime temperatures are within the range 17 - 28°c, though it can tolerate 12 - 36°c. The plant is fairly frost-tolerant and is able to withstand temperatures down to -5°c when it is dormant, though even light frosts can damage the young growth. It prefers a mean annual rainfall of 800 - 1,200mm, but tolerates 700 - 1,500mm. Succeeds in full sun to light shade. Succeeds in most soils so long as they are well drained. Established plants are drought tolerant. Prefers a pH in the range 5.5 - 7, tolerating 5 - 7.5. A slow growing plant, usually increasing height by less than 50cm a year.

Propagating it: Seed - best sown as soon as it is ripe. It can be stored for up to 12 months if dried properly. Cuttings.

Best place to grow:

Habit: Shrub

Hardiness: 10-12

Growth: Slow

Soil: Light (sandy), medium, heavy (clay)

Shade: Semi-shade, no shade

Moisture: Dry, moist

Things to keep in mind

Its other names

Local names

Imadnulu, Infahlo, Ingumi, Ivili, Iviyo, Mafila, Mapendo, Mbilima, Mfukutu, Mispel, Mkangandembo, Mmilo, Mpulukututu, Msada, Msambarawe, Msilu, Mulada, Mungolomya, Mutululo, Muziru, Mvilu, Mviru, Mzilu, Ndigiti, Ndowiro, Nombumbu, Nwene, Titipe, !hom!homs, /guri, anyuka, apindi, bergmispel, eembu, emaler, engumi-etari (loita), false medlar, grootmispel, g|u'urih, ibbu, ikoromosien, ikoromosyoi, kimolik, kimolwet, komolik, komolwo, kumukhomoli, m'djululo, m'ziro, mafila, mbiruiru, mboghombogho, mmilo, mmupudu, monyonyana, mothwane, mpfilwa, mubilo, mubiru, mughomoli, mukhomoli, mukomoa, mukomora, munziro, munzviru, muteleli, mutululo, muviru, muzoza, mviru, narakasha, nombumbu, ntswila, nwene, nzwigwa, olgum (plural), olgumi, ombu, omibu, omimbu, omokomoni, omudenja, omudjenya, omumbu, omundjenya, omutjenya, omuya, ondenya, oshimbu, ozondjenya, shikomoli, titipe, umthofu, umviyo, velvet wild-medlar, wild medlar, wild-medlar, wilde moepel, wildemispel, |u'uru.

Synonyms

Canthium infaustum (Burch.) Baill. Vangueria barnimiana Schweinf. Vangueria campanulata Robyns Vangu