Monkey apple, Spiny leaved wild orange
Strychnos pungens

Family: Loganiaceae

What it is like

An evergreen tree. It grows 2-6 m tall. It has a low spreading crown. The trunk has rough grey bark. The leaves are hard and leathery. They occur in opposite pairs. They have stiff sharp tips. Leaves are 1.5-6.5 cm long by 0.7-3 cm wide. They are oblong and the tips have a sharp spine like point. The base is often narrowed. The flower buds are flask shaped and yellow-green. They are in small clusters in the axils of leaves or on old wood. The flowers are starry and green. The fruit are large. They can be 10 cm across and weigh 0.45 kg. The skin is thick and woody and green turning yellow when ripe. There are many seeds in a yellowish strong smelling pulp. There are 20-100 seeds.

Where it is found

A tropical plant. It can grow in deep sandy soils and on stony hill slopes. It grows between 120-1,755 m above sea level. It can grow in salty soils. It grows in areas with an annual rainfall above 250 mm. It can grow in arid places. It grows in Miombo woodland in Africa.

Countries/locations it is found in

Africa, Angola, Botswana, Central Africa, Congo, East Africa, Eswatini, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa, Southern Africa, Swaziland, Tanzania, Zambia, Zimbabwe

How it is used for food

The flesh can be eaten. The pulp of the ripe fruit is eaten raw, never cooked. It is also used for drinks. The young green fruit is roasted in the sand under the fire and then eaten. The seeds although bitter are eaten when fresh. The seeds and pulp is also crushed for a drink. CAUTION: Many Loganiaceae are very poisonous.

Edible parts

Fruit, seeds

How it is grown

Plants can be grown from seeds but seeds can take 6 months to germinate.

Its other names

Local names

Kahola muanda, Kakomekome, Mabumi, Mahwahwa, Mbitu, Mbumi, Mhandagi, Mkome, Mogwawa, Mubanga-kyulu, Mudo, Mugwati, Mukome, Mukwakwa, N'demeteme, Omupwaka, Umgwadi, Witu

Synonyms

Strychnos occidentalis Solered.;