Heart-fruit, Large red-heart
Hymenocardia acida

Family: Phyllanthaceae

What it is like

A shrub or small tree. It grows up to 6 m high. The bark is light brown, smooth and flaky. Young branches are rust coloured. Leaves are oblong. They are 2.5-9 cm long by 2-4 cm wide. They have brown velvety hairs. The flowers are separate sexes on separate trees. Male flowers are reddish in spikes up to 6 cm long. Female flowers are green. Each one looks like a small fruit with 2 long red forked styles. They can be single or in clusters. The fruit is a flattened capsule with 2 wings. These give the shape of a heart. These become red when mature.

There are 6 Hymenocardia species. It is also put in the family Euphorbiaceae and Hymenocardiaceae.

Where it is found

A tropical plant. It grows in savanna and deciduous woodland. It grows on sandy, loamy or clay soils. It grows from sea level to 1,750 m altitude. It can grow in arid places.

Countries/locations it is found in

Africa, Angola, Benin, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cameroon, Central Africa, Central African Republic, CAR, Chad, Congo DR, Côte d'Ivoire, East Africa, Ethiopia, Gabon, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinée, Guinea-Bissau, Ivory Coast, Kenya, Liberia, Malawi, Mali, Mozambique, Niger, Nigeria, Rwanda, Sahel, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Southern Africa, South Sudan, Sudan, Tanzania, Togo, Uganda, West Africa, Zambia, Zimbabwe

How it is used for food

The young fruits are eaten. They are sour. The young leaves are sometimes eaten as a flavouring.

The fruit are eaten especially by children.

Edible parts

Leaves - flavouring, fruits, stems

How it is grown

Plants are grown from seeds. The wings are taken off the seeds and the seeds are then soaked in cold water for 24 hours before sowing. The shrub can be cut back and let re-grow.

Its other names

Local names

Acoga, Beninebahan, Betenam, Bodi, Cacagou, Caraconde, Chitete, Coroconde, Corocondo, Coroconto, Coronconde, Coroncondo, Curencunde, Jan yaro, Kapempe, Kigete, Luhete, Mapau, Matikze, Mpete, Mugete, Mupempe, Mvete, N'tise, Oabi, Olulando, Pete pete, Pilitoro, Sabrakyie, Simoieli, Simoile, Terroterro

Synonyms

Carpodiptera minor Sim; Hymenocardia mollis Pax var. glabra Pax.;