Crocodile-bark diospyros
Diospyros quiloensis

Family: Ebenaceae

What it is like

A small to medium sized tree. It grows up to 10 m high. The crown is rounded. The bark is dark grey and cracked along its length forming a "crocodile" bark. The leaves can be crowded near the ends of very short branches. The leaves are oval or spoon like and 6 cm long by 2 cm wide. They are dark green and glossy above and paler underneath. There can be fine hairs underneath. The leaves taper to both ends. The edges roll under slightly. The edges are wavy. The leaf stalk is 1-5 mm long. The flowers are creamy-white and have a sweet scent. The male flowers are 8 mm long in loose clusters of 2-12 flowers in the axils of fallen leaves. The female flowers are larger up to 10 mm long and in groups or 2-3 in the axils of leaves. The fruit resemble acorns. They are 2.5 cm long by 1 cm wide. They are yellow when mature. They have a sharp tip. The cup has 4 lobes and covers about a quarter of the length. The fruit are edible.

There are about 485 species of Diospyros mostly in the tropics.

Where it is found

A tropical plant. It grows in hot arid river valleys. In Zimbabwe it grows up to 900 m above sea level. It is often on termite mounds. It can grow in arid places.

Countries/locations it is found in

Africa, East Africa, Malawi, Mozambique, South Africa, Southern Africa, Tanzania, Zambia, Zimbabwe

How it is used for food

The fruit are edible.

They are not very popular.

Edible parts

Fruit

How it is grown

Its other names

Local names

Kafupaka-cimbwi, Kasyinsye, Midodo, Murodo

Synonyms

Maba quiloensis Hiern;