Black monkey orange
Strychnos madagascariensis

Family: Loganiaceae

What it is like

It can be a bush or a tall spineless tree. It can have one or many stems. They can grow to 15 m high. It loses its leaves during the year. The leaves are in opposite pairs. They are 2-9 cm long by 1.3-6 cm wide. They are oblong and narrow to the base. The leaves are thickish. The flowers are small and yellow. They are borne in bunches in the axils of leaves or on old wood. The fruit are large. They can be 4-10 cm across and round. They have a hard woody shell. They are blue-green but become yellow-brown when ripe. There are a large number of flat seeds. These are in a pleasant tasting pulp.

Where it is found

A tropical plant. It occurs in woodland and along rivers and in the coastal forest. In Tanzania it grows between 900-1,500 m above sea level. In Brisbane Botanical Gardens.

Countries/locations it is found in

Africa, Australia, Botswana, East Africa, Eswatini, Kenya, Madagascar, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa, Southern Africa, Swaziland, Tanzania, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Zululand

How it is used for food

The flesh is removed and dried then eaten with honey. It can also be eaten when fresh. It can be used for a drink. The dried fruit are ground into a fine powder then used for making porridge. The seeds are not eaten. They contain strychnine and other poisonous alkaloids. (It has been recorded that the dried seeds are edible) CAUTION: Many Loganiaceae are very poisonous.

It is a significant wild food in some areas.

Edible parts

Fruit, caution, leaves, seeds

How it is grown

Plants are grown from seeds. Seed germinate easily.

Plants are fairly fast-growing. Fruit are normally available during the wet season.

Its other names

Local names

Emahlala, Hwakwa, Ihlala, Macuacua, Massala, Mhlola, Mkwakwa, Mogwagwa, Mtonga, Mucuacua, Mukumangao, Myhakwam Mukwakwa, Nankuluko, Nhecateme, Nkuluko, Qua-qua, Shiny-leaved mukwakwa, Spineless monkey orange, Umgulugudu, Umkhwakhwa, Umkwakwa, Umkwapa, Wild orange

Synonyms

Strychnos baronii Baker; Strychnos burtonii Baker; Strychnos dysophylla Benth.; Strychnos gerrardii N.E. Br.; Strychnos innocua Del. subsp. dysophylla (Benth.) Verdoorn; Strychnos innocua subsp. burtonii (Baker) E. A. Bruce & J. Lewis; Strychnos vacacoua Baill.; and others