Crowned false medlar
Vangueria macrocalyx

Family: Rubiaceae

What it is like

A small shrub or tree. It can be 13 m high. The bark is light grey. There are often spines at the ends of branches. The leaves are opposite and simple. They are oval and 3.5-14 cm long by 2.5-8 cm wide. They taper to both ends. Leaves are often unequal in the two halves. The leaf stalk can be 10 mm long. Leaves are larger and less hairy when growing in forest. Flowers are greenish-yellow. They are 1-1.5 cm across. The flowers occur in clusters in the axils of leaves. The fruit are oval and fleshy. They are 2 cm long. There are ridges long the fruit dividing them into 3-5 lobes. They are yellow-orange when mature. There is a strap-like calyx at the tip. The fruit are edible.

Where it is found

A subtropical plant. It occurs in open woodland, bush and mountain slopes. It grows on the edges of evergreen forest. It also occurs along streams and in dry rocky places and stony hillsides.

Countries/locations it is found in

Africa, Eswatini, South Africa, Southern Africa, Swaziland

How it is used for food

The fruit are eaten as a snack.

The fruit are attractive.

Edible parts

Fruit

How it is grown

Its other names

Local names

Siphutse, Umphatsankhosi

Synonyms

Canthium macrocalyx (Sond.) Baill.; Pachystigma caffrum (Sim) Robyns; Pachystigma macrocalyx (Sond.) Robyns; Vangueria caffra Sim;