African grape tree
Pseudospondias microcarpa

Family: Anacardiaceae

What it is like

A large spreading tree. It grows 10-14 m tall. It can be 35 m tall. The trunk is short and can be 2 m across. It has buttresses. The trunk is irregular and twisted with branches near the base. The bark is smooth and thin when young. It becomes yellow-grey and rough when old. It flakes off in large pieces. The leaves have an odd number of leaflets along the stalk. The stalk can be 30 cm long. There are 2-8 pairs of leaflets plus one extra. Each leaflet is stalked. The leaflets are rather stiff and oval. They are 5-20 cm long. The base of the leaflets is unequal. The tip is pointed. The leaflets are darker above than below. The flowers are in loose heads. These are 10-32 cm long. They occur beside the leaves. The flower stalks are dull red brown. The flowers are very small and white. The fruit is a soft fruit with a kernel in a stone. The flesh is edible. The fruit are blue-black and 2.5 cm across. The stone is four sided and contains seeds.

Where it is found

A tropical plant. It grows in the lowlands. It occurs on lake shores and rain-forest edges and in swampy areas in tropical forests. It is common in Africa. In Tanzania it grows between 900-1,700 m above sea level. It grows in areas with a rainfall between 1,200-2,100 mm.

Countries/locations it is found in

Africa (country/location of origin), Angola, Asia, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Central Africa, Central African Republic, CAR, Congo DR, Congo R, Côte d'Ivoire, East Africa, Gabon, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinée, Guinea-Bissau, Indonesia, Ivory Coast, Kenya, Liberia, Mozambique, Nigeria, Sao Tome and Principe, SE Asia, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Sudan, Tanzania, Uganda, West Africa, Zambia

How it is used for food

The fruit is eaten raw.

It is reasonably commonly eaten in West Africa. The fruit are especially eaten by children.

Edible parts

Leaves, fruit

How it is grown

Plants are grown from seed. The seed should have a small cut made in the hard layer or should be soaked in cold water for 12 hours before planting. The seed can be stored for 5 months after drying the whole fruit. It can be topped or pruned.

The plant is fast growing. Fruit mature in 90-120 days. In is collected during the rainy season.

Its other names

Local names

Agombe, Bololo, Byungu, Doleke, Chungu, Dowei, Dueke, Ewungu, Iyungu, Ka-dibia, Katawani, Kyungu, Mbolu, Mendiko, Mfiwa, Mubulu, Muziru, Mviwa, Nyibu, Nziru, Ochol, Pela, Pohon anggur afrika, Sana, Wungu

Synonyms

Spondias microcarpa A. Rich.; Spondias zanzee G. Don;