Fluted milkwood
Chrysophyllum viridifolium

Family: Sapotaceae

What it is like

A large tree. It can be 30 m tall and have a trunk 2 m across. The trunk can be deeply fluted. The leaves are simple and scattered on the twigs. They are 3.8-11 cm long by 1.9-5 cm wide. They are oblong. The leaves are dark green on top and lighter underneath. The midrib is sunken on top and raised underneath. The flowers are small and white and bell shaped. They occur in clusters in the axils of lower leaves. The fruit is a berry. it is 2.5 cm across. It is yellow and smooth. The yellow pulp has sticky sap and 5 shiny yellow seeds. These are 1.3 cm long and boat shaped. The fruit are edible.

There are about 80-150 Chrysophyllum species. They are mostly in tropical America. There are 44 species in tropical America.

Where it is found

A tropical plant. It occurs in evergreen forest.

Countries/locations it is found in

Africa, East Africa, Eswatini, Kenya, Malawi, Mozambique, South Africa, Southern Africa, Swaziland, Zimbabwe

How it is used for food

The fruit are eaten.

They have a pleasant taste.

Edible parts

Fruit

How it is grown

The fruit ripen irregularly throughout the year.

Its other names

Local names

Amasethole ehlathi, Umemezi, Umgwinya

Synonyms

Donella viridifolia (J. M. Wood & Franks) Surbev. & Pellegr.;