Dye diospyros, Dye star-apple
Diospyros loureiroana

Family: Ebenaceae

What it is like

A shrub or small tree. It loses many leaves during the year. It grows 6-10 m tall. The bark is corky. It is grey and deeply cracked. The small branches are reddish and have hairs. The leaves are alternate, simple and entire. They are 1-12 cm long by 1-7 cm wide. The flowers are of one sex. The trees are separately male and female. The flowers are white and in small clusters of 3-7 in the axils of leaves. The fruit are a round berry. They are 3 cm across. They are yellow. There are about 8 seeds. They are about 1 cm long.

Where it is found

It is a tropical plant. It grows on poor soils in sunny locations. It can grow on sandy soils and in rocky locations. It grows from sea level to 750 m altitude. It grows between 20-500 m altitude in southern Africa. In the Brisbane Botanical Gardens. In Cairns Botanical gardens.

Countries/locations it is found in

Africa (country/location of origin), Australia, East Africa, Kenya, Malawi, Mozambique, Southern Africa, Tanzania, Zimbabwe

How it is used for food

Edible parts

Fruit

How it is grown

Its other names

Local names

Aboba, Kikanko, Mdaa, Mpome, Nhamodema, Nhamudima, Popa

Synonyms

Diospyros lotus Lour. [Illegitimate]; Diospyros loureiroana subsp. loureiroana; Diospyros macrocalyx Klotzsch; Diospyros usambarensis F. White; Royena macrocalyx (Klotzsch) Gurke; Royena usambarensis Gurke ex Engl. [Invalid];