Embelia schimperi

Family: Primulaceae

What it is like

A small tree. It can be a shrubby climber. It grows 7 m tall. The bark is smooth and red-brown. The twigs have raised dots. The leaves are arranged in spirals and crowded at the ends of branches. The leaves vary a lot in shape. The leaves are oval and 8 cm long by 4 cm wide. There are 15 or more side veins. The flowers are small and green-white. There are many fruit on stalks. They are 6 cm across. They are red when ripe. There is one seed inside.

There are about 140 Embelia species. Also put in the family Myrsinaceae.

Where it is found

A tropical plant. In Ethiopia is grows as an under-storey tree and grows between 1,700-2,600 m altitude. It grows along the edges of forests, on river banks and on termite mounds. In Tanzania it grows between 1,000-3,200 m above sea level. It grows in areas with a rainfall between 800-2,000 mm.

Countries/locations it is found in

Africa, Angola, Burundi, Cameroon, Central Africa, Congo, East Africa, Ethiopia, Guinea, Guinée, Kenya, Malawi, Mozambique, Nigeria, Rwanda, Southern Africa, Sudan, Tanzania, Uganda, West Africa, Zambia, Zimbabwe

How it is used for food

The leaves are eaten raw in small amounts as a snack. They taste salty. The ripe fruit are eaten raw.

It is a famine food.

Edible parts

Leaves, fruit, vegetable

How it is grown

Plants are grown from seed.

The leaves are collected during the early rains.

Its other names

Local names

Enkoko, Hanku, Hanqu, Inqoko, Inqoqo, Isasya-mubili, Kanko, Kemjach, Mzula, Nakonda, Qaanqo, Umukaragata

Synonyms

Embelia abyssinica Baker; Embelia bambuseti Gilg & Schellenb.; Embelia batesii S. Moore; Embelia dasyantha Gilg & Schellenb.; Embelia gilgii Mez; Embelia guineensis Baker; Enbelia kilimandscharica Gilg; Embelia mujenja Gilg; Embelia nyassana Gilg.; Embelia pellucida (Hiern) K. Schum.; Embelia retusa Gilg; Embelia tessmannii Gilg & Shellenb.; Embelia tibatiensis Gilg & Schellenb.; Pattara pellucida Hiern;