Cape cherry, Kooboo-berry
Cassine aethiopica

Family: Celastraceae

What it is like

A slender tree. It has many branches. It can be 12-20 m tall. The trunk can be 60 cm across. The bark is rough and dark. The leaves are simple and alternate. They are leathery. They are 1.3-13 cm long by 0.8-6 cm wide. The shape varies. The leaf stalks are often yellow and 6 mm long. The flowers are small and yellow. They are produced in clusters in the axils of leaves. The fruit is fleshy with one stone inside. They are 0.8-2.5 cm long and oval. They are deep pink or red when ripe. There is one seed. The fruit is edible.

There are 80 Cassine species. Most are in Africa. The Celastraceae are mostly in the tropics and subtropics.

Where it is found

A tropical plant. It can grow under a range of conditions. It can be in arid scrub or swamp forest. It grows in savanna. It also occurs in rainforest. It suits humid locations. In Malawi it grows from 750-2,450 m altitude.

Countries/locations it is found in

Africa, Angola, Botswana, Cameroon, Central Africa, Comoros, Congo, East Africa, Eswatini, Ethiopia, Equatorial-Guinea, Kenya, Madagascar, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, Seychelles, South Africa, Southern Africa, Sudan, Swaziland, Uganda, Zambia, Zimbabwe

How it is used for food

The fruit is eaten. It is sweet. In Kenya the ripened fruit is mixed with porridge or gruel and with the white liquor from crushed, cooked maize.

The fruit are eaten by children.

Edible parts

Fruit

How it is grown

Plants can be grown from seeds.

Plants grow fairly quickly.

Its other names

Local names

Acnond-rateng, Bushveld cherry, Ethelei, Ingukutane, Inqayi, Kalumekamukuwe, Kigori, Kukadshi, Londongoniyo, Mgungulutane, Mkimgulutane, Mlimbo-limbo, mu-Kawa, Mubendabendi, Mudangwa, Muhundui, Mukongau, Ondiek, Umgxube, Umnqayi, Xikayi

Synonyms

Cassine velutinum (Harv.) Loes.; Cassine pubescens (Eckl. & Zeyh.) Kuntze; Cassine schlechteri (Loes.) Davison; Cassine sphaerophylla Kuntze; Elaeodendron aethiopicum (Thunb.) Oliv.; Elaeodendrum velutinum Harv.; Elaeodendron sphaerophyllum Presl.; Mystroxylon aethiopicum (Thunb.) Loes.; Mystroxylon schlechteri (Davidson) Loes.;