Cordyla densiflora
Family: Fabaceae
What it is like
A tree. It loses its leaves during the year. It grows 4-10 m tall. The trunk is short and with many branches. The crown is bushy and rounded. The bark is smooth and pale grey to brown. The leaves are compound and there is an odd number of leaflets along the stalk. There are 5-9 pairs of leaflets and one at the end. They are 2-4 cm long. The tip is rounded. The flowers are small and appear on the tree when it has no leaves. They are in dense clusters near the ends of leafless branches. The fruit are green and rounded but flattened on one side. There is a beak at the tip. They are 6.5 cm long. They contain 1-6 seeds. The seeds are large and have a thin wall.
Where it is found
A tropical plant. It grows in deciduous woodland and in savanna. In Tanzania it grows between 800-1,300 m above sea level.
Countries/locations it is found in
Africa, East Africa, Tanzania
How it is used for food
The pulp of the ripe fruit is eaten raw. It has an unpleasant smell. Fruit are collected and cooked then eaten.
Edible parts
Fruit
How it is grown
Plants can be grown by seeds or by cuttings. The tree is used as a living hedge.
In Tanzania ripe fruit are collected from October to February.
Its other names
Local names
Mkwata