Glenniea africana

Family: Sapindaceae

What it is like

A tree. It grows 24 m high. The bark is rough brown and smooth in small trees. The leaves are compound with 2-3 pairs of leaflets along the stalk. The leaves are alternate and the leaflets are opposite. The leaves are 3-25 cm long by 2-11 cm wide. The lowest leaflet is smaller. The leaves are yellow when young and turn pink then pale green. The flowers are at the ends of branches, in the axils of the leaves and can be on the trunk. They are in groups 5-15 cm long. The flowers are small and pale pink or yellow. The fruit are oval and orange. They are hairy and like berries. They are 2 cm long by 2.5 cm wide.

Where it is found

It is a tropical plant. It grows in dry lowland forests and along rivers. It occurs between 30-2,000 m above sea level.

Countries/locations it is found in

Africa, Cameroon, Congo DR, East Africa, Gabon, Kenya, Malawi, Mozambique, Nigeria, Sudan, Tanzania, Uganda, West Africa, Zimbabwe

How it is used for food

Edible parts

Fruit

How it is grown

Its other names

Local names

Chacuane, Chacuare

Synonyms

Melanodiscus africanus Radlk.; Melanodiscus oblongus Radlk.;