Kenidai
Bridelia tomentosa

Family: Phyllanthaceae

What it is like

A small spindly shrub 2-3 m high. They can grow to 10 m high and be 2-3 m across. The young shoots are covered with short tangled hairs. The tree loses many of its leaves during the year. The bark is tight and smooth and mottled creamy-grey. The leaves are small and not shiny. The leaf shape and size varies considerably even on one plant. Leaves are 3.5-8.5 cm long by 1-5 cm wide. They are light green above and paler underneath. The leaf tip can be rounded or pointed. The veins are easily seen. The flowers are small and green. They can occur on their own or in small groups. It produces small berry like fruit along the twigs. The fruit are green when young and turn black when ripe. They are 0.4-0.6 cm across. These enclose one or two hard shelled seeds.

There are about 60 Bridelia species.

Where it is found

A tropical plant. It grows in open savannah grassland and in secondary regrowth. It grows in tropical lowland areas below about 450 m altitude. The plant occurs in countries from India to Australia. In Yunnan.

Countries/locations it is found in

Asia, Australia, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Cambodia, China, East Timor, Himalayas, India, Indochina, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Nepal, Northeastern India, Pacific, Papua New Guinea, Philippines, SE Asia, Singapore, Taiwan, Thailand, Timor-Leste, Vietnam

How it is used for food

The small ripe fruit are eaten raw. The fruit have been used in pepper.

A very minor edible fruit from wild plants in the Western Province of Papua New Guinea.

Edible parts

Fruit

How it is grown

Plants grow wild. They can be grown from seed or cuttings.

In Australia they flower in March to May and fruit from April to June.

Its other names

Local names

Amam, Anbirlemanjwarre, Anngawokngawok, Baung-bin, Chinya, Dieng-soh-puetparao, Gandri, Kandri, Kang pla, Kanyere, Kenidai jantan, Lahpawk, Mindri, Patkunti, Seik-chi-nwe, Sirai, Thebihi

Synonyms

Bridelia monoica (Lour.) Merr. Bridelia phyllanthoides W. Fitzg.; Bridelia tomentosa var. eriantha Airy Shaw; Bridelia tomentosa var. glabrifolia (Merr.) Airy Shaw; and others