Cape jasmine
Gardenia lutea
Family: Rubiaceae
What it is like
A shrub or small tree. It grows 1.8-2.4 m tall. The flowers are white. The fruit are large and brown.
There are about 200 Gardenia species. Chemical composition: Protein (crude) = 21.9% (dry). Fat = 6.2% (dry). Fibre (crude) = 7.0% (dry). Ash (insoluble) = 3.6% (dry). Carbohydrate (soluble): Starch = 28.2% (dry). Sucrose = 5.0% (dry). D-glucose = 0.1% (dry). D-fructose = Ø% (dry). Amino acids (g [16g N]]-1): Aspartic acid = 11.6g. Threonine = 3.7g. Serine = 4.8g. Glutamic acid = 16.0g. Proline = 4.3g. Glycine = 4.4g. Alanine = 5.2g. Valine = 5.7g. Cysteine = 1.1g. Methionine = 1.4g. Isoleucine = 4.6g. Leucine = 9.2g, Tyrosine = 3.4g. Phenylalanine = 6.5g. Lysine = 8.2g. Histidine = 3.2g. Arginine = 10.1g. Minerals: Sulphur = 0.21% (dry). Potassium = 0.24% (dry). Magnesium = 0.17% (dry). Na = 0.01% (dry). K = 1.40% (dry). Zinc = 28 mg/kg-1 (dry). Iron = 111 mg/kg-1 (dry). Manganese = 23 mg/kg-1 (dry). Copper = 6 mg/kg-1 (dry). The fruit are used as medicine.
Where it is found
A tropical plant.
Countries/locations it is found in
Africa, East Africa, Ethiopia, Sudan
How it is used for food
The seeds are boiled and eaten with added salt, or cooked with onions and oil.
It is a famine food.
Edible parts
Fruit - caution, seeds
How it is grown
Its other names
Local names
Fuwl umgawy, Gambiela