Diospyros vignei

Family: Ebenaceae

What it is like

A shrub or small tree. It grows 3.5-10 m tall. The trunk is 3 cm across. The leaves are alternate and simple. The leaves are oval and taper to both ends with a tip or point at the top end. There are 3-7 pairs of side veins. The leaves are 7-13 cm long by 3-4 cm wide. The male flowers are in the axils of the leaves and on the trunk and large branches. The female flowers are on the trunks. The flowers are bell shaped and white with 3 lobes. The fruit is bottle shaped with a point at the tip. It is 3 cm long by 2 cm wide. There can be 4 seeds in a sweet whitish pulp. The seeds are oblong and large. They are dark reddish brown.

Where it is found

It is a tropical plant. It grows in the undergrowth in wet evergreen forests.

Countries/locations it is found in

Africa, Côte d'Ivoire, Ghana, Ivory Coast, Liberia, West Africa

How it is used for food

The fruit are eaten fresh.

Edible parts

Fruit

How it is grown

Its other names

Local names

Sanzamulike

Synonyms

Diospyros apiculata A. Chev. [Invalid]; Maba graboensis Aubrev. [Invalid];