Dialium orientale
Family: Fabaceae
What it is like
A tree or a shrub with many stems. It grows 18 m high. The bark is smooth and grey. It is a spreading plant. The leaves have narrow or sword shaped leaflets. There are 1-4 pairs. These are 2-5 cm long by 1-3 cm wide. The flowers are white but do not have petals. They are in wide and much branched panicles. The fruit is round, red and 2 cm across. It is edible. It contains 1 or 2 seeds.
There are about 40 Dialium species. They grow in tropical SE Asia. They probably all have edible fruit. Also as Caesalpinaceae.
Where it is found
A tropical plant. It grows in coastal, dry evergreen forest. In Kenya it grows in coastal areas. It grows from sea level to 100 m altitude.
Countries/locations it is found in
Africa, East Africa, Kenya, Somalia, Tanzania
How it is used for food
The fruit are eaten raw. They have a sweet acid taste.
Edible parts
Fruit
How it is grown
Plants can be grown from seeds that are sowed directly where they are to grow.
Peeled fruit can be kept for 2 years. The fruit are collected from July to October.
Its other names
Local names
Mhetele, Mpekechu, Mpepeta, Mshugwi, Mtsumbwi, Sgusholwe, Shishoble, Shoshobli, Sishoble