Dwarf waterberry
Syzygium guineense subsp. huillense

Family: Myrtaceae

What it is like

A low growing shrub that has a woody tuber. It grows 30-60 cm tall. The shoots arise each year from the woody rootstock. The flowers are on the current year's shoots. The flowering shoots are curved. The leaf blade is 2-11 cm long by 6 cm wide. They vary in shape. The fruit are 3 cm long by 2 cm wide. The fruit are apple green but change to deep purple as they ripen. The fruit is edible.

Where it is found

It is a tropical plant. It grows in seasonally waterlogged soils. It grows on sandy soils including Kalahari sands. It grows between 900-1,400 m altitude.

Countries/locations it is found in

Africa, Angola, Central Africa, Congo, East Africa, Malawi, Southern Africa, Tanzania, Zambia, Zimbabwe

How it is used for food

The fruit is eaten raw.

Edible parts

Fruit

How it is grown

Its other names

Local names

Mabomba

Synonyms

Eugenia guineense subsp. huillense (Hiern) F. White pro parte; Syzygium huillense (Hiern) Engl.; Syzygium mumbwaense Greenway;