Petchia madagascariensis

Family: Apocynaceae

What it is like

A shrub or small tree. It grows 10 m tall. It is 25 cm across the trunk. The bark is smooth but cracked. It is dark brown. The leaves are in rings of 3-4 or opposite. They are simple and entire. They are narrowly oval and up to 23 cm long by 10 cm wide. The base it wedge shaped and it can taper to the tip There are 15-20 pairs of side veins. The edges curl back. There are several groups of flowers together at the ends of branches. The flowers contain both sexes and are yellow. The fruit are made up of 2 follicles and each one has 1-13 fleshy fruit covering one seed each.

There are 8 Petchia species. The leaves are used in medicine.

Where it is found

It is a tropical plant. It grows in humid evergreen forest. It is mostly near the coast but can grow up to 600 m altitude.

Countries/locations it is found in

Africa, East Africa, Madagascar

How it is used for food

The fruit pulp is sweet and edible.

Edible parts

Fruit

How it is grown

Its other names

Local names

Synonyms

Alyxia madagascariensis A. DC.; Cabucala madagascariensis (A. DC.) Pichon;