African dogrose
Xylotheca tettensis

Family: Achariaceae

What it is like

A shrub or small tree. It grows 5 m tall. The young branches have a yellow covering with long hairs. The leaves appear just before the flowers. The leaf blade is 2-10 cm long by 1-7 cm wide. They are oval and rounded at the tip. The edges can be wavy. The flowers usually occur singly. They are in the axils of leaves or at the ends of branches. There are 7-12 petals and they are white. The fruit is woody and half round. It can have several long ridges along it. There are any seeds. They are narrowly oval and pale brown. They are in a thin red pulp. There are some varieties.

Also put in the Flacourtiaceae family.

Where it is found

It is a tropical plant.

Countries/locations it is found in

Africa, East Africa, Kenya, Mozambique, Southern Africa, Tanzania, Zimbabwe

How it is used for food

Edible parts

Fruit

How it is grown

Its other names

Local names

Matandau

Synonyms

Chlanis tettensis Klotzsch; Oncoba tettensis (Klotzsch) Harv.;