Grape mango, Mpilivili tree
Sorindeia madagascariensis
Family: Anacardiaceae
What it is like
A large tree. It grows 20 m tall. The trunk can be 20 cm across. The leaves are compound. The leaflets are almost opposite. There are usually 4 pairs. The flowers are on the trunks and large branches. They are small and hang in long groups. The fruit are yellow and sweet. The bunches are 50 cm long. There can be 200 fruit in a bunch. They hang from the main trunk and branches. The fruit are 2-3 cm long by 1.3 cm across. They are yellow.
There are 14 Sorindeia species.
Where it is found
A tropical plant. It grows in the lowlands. It grows in humid and subhumid evergreen forest. In Madagascar it grows from sea level to 1,000 m altitude. It grows in places with an annual rainfall between 460-2,375 mm. It can grow in arid places. In Tanzania it grows from sea level to 1,800 m above sea level. It is often in seasonally flooded places.
Countries/locations it is found in
Africa, Asia, Comoros (country/location of origin), East Africa, India, Indonesia, Kenya, Madagascar (country/location of origin), Malawi, Mascarenes, Mauritius, Mozambique, SE Asia, Singapore, Somalia, South Africa, Southern Africa, Sudan, Tanzania
How it is used for food
The ripe fruit are sweet and edible. They are eaten raw. They are also soaked in warm water, squeezed and filtered and sugar is added to make a juice drink. The fruit are also used for beer.
The fruit are sold in local markets.
Edible parts
Fruit
How it is grown
Plants can be grown from fresh seeds.
Fruit are collected from September to October in Tanzania.
Its other names
Local names
Mfotofoto, Mgoda, Mgweda, Mgwego, Mhilihili, Mkunguma, Mkunguwa, Mkwingwa, Mkwingwina, Mndaraho, Mpilipili, Mpilipinzi, Mtikiza, Musele, Musgwe, Muzingilizi, Ngoweda, Nkunguma, Ntalawanda, Nyembedwa, Sasola, Sondriry, Tnirondro, Tsirindry, Tsirondrano, Tsirondro, Voantsirindry, Voasirindrina, Voasindrirna
Synonyms
Sorindeia obtusifoliata Engl.; Sorindeia somalensis (Chiov.) Chiov.; Sorindeia usambarensis Engl.;