False fig, Urn fig
Trilepisium madagascariense

Family: Moraceae

What it is like

It is a large tree. It grows to 17-35 m high. The trunk is furrowed. The bark is grey. The leaves are simple and glossy. The leaves are rigid and narrowly oval. They are oblong and 7-14 cm long by 3-6.5 cm wide. They are very dark green and glossy. They are leathery. They taper from a broad base to a rounded tip. The veins form loops. The flowers are separate but in the same receptacle. The flowers are urn shaped being swollen in the middle and narrowing at the top. They are in the axils of the leaves. The receptacle is about 1.5 cm long. It is something like a fig. It has a wide opening at the top. There are many male flowers with stamens sticking out the end of the receptacle. The female flowers are imbedded in the fleshy receptacle. The fruit is a nut. These are embedded in the fleshy receptacle. The whole structure is about 2 cm long. The fruit is fleshy and contains a single seed.

There is only one variable Trilepisium species.

Where it is found

A tropical plant. It grows in the lowlands and highlands. It grows along the edges of rivers and in patches of evergreen forest. It extends into the savannah in West Africa. It grows from sea level to 2,000 m above sea level.

Countries/locations it is found in

Africa, Angola, Benin, Cameroon, Central Africa, Central African Republic, CAR, Congo DR, Congo R, Côte d'Ivoire, East Africa, Eswatini, Ethiopia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinée, Ivory Coast, Kenya, Madagascar, Malawi, Mozambique, Nigeria, Sao Tome and Principe, Seychelles, South Africa, Southern Africa, Swaziland, Tanzania, Togo, Uganda, West Africa, Zambia, Zimbabwe

How it is used for food

The leaves are used as a vegetable. They are cut then cooked. The seeds with the skin removed are roasted as a nut and eaten. The ripe fruit are eaten fresh. They are also roasted.

The fruit are especially eaten by children.

Edible parts

Fruit, seeds, leaves, nuts, vegetable

How it is grown

Plants can be grown from fresh seeds. Plants can be budded. It can be grown from cuttings.

In Tanzania fruit are collected from October to December.

Its other names

Local names

Anziga, Bastard fig, Bumbu, Daocou, Daocu, Fongi, Gabo, Gagut, Gemuy, Goboy, Gogee, Indoli, Kid, Koko eran, Kumbu, M'tundui, Metchi, Mfilafila, Mkwenampelele, Mrua, Msisingololo, Mzughu, Mzugo, Nsekena, Nsekeni, Ntombo a ngola, Okure, Omukumbwe, Osomzo, Oze, Pongi, Saworo, Toukoutou, Triwa, Tulukpala, Ukputu

Synonyms

Bosqueia angolensis Ficalho; Bosqueia boiviniana Cordem. ex Baill.; Bosqueia phoberos Baillon; Bosquiea welwitschii Engl.; and others