Premna resinosa

Family: Lamiaceae

What it is like

A shrub. It grows 2-4 m tall. The branches are slender and white. The bark is thin and light brown and peels off in strips. The leaves have a smell. The leaves are 1-3 cm long. They are opposite and in groups of 4. Two are larger and two are smaller. The flowers are greenish-white. They are very small and in small groups. The fruit is black and fleshy. It is oval and 4-7 mm across.

Also put in the family Verbenaceae.

Where it is found

It is a tropical to Mediterranean plant. It grows in lowland shrub and grassland. It grows between sea level and 1,000 m altitude. It can grow in arid places.

Countries/locations it is found in

Africa, Djibouti, East Africa, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Kenya, Middle East, Oman, Somalia, Sudan, Tanzania, Uganda

How it is used for food

The ripe fruit are eaten. The seeds are eaten. The leaves are used to flavour tea.

Edible parts

Fruit, seeds, leaves - flavouring

How it is grown

Plants can be grown from seeds. Sometimes the seeds need to have the hard seed coat nicked to allow germination.

There are 700-1,000 seeds per kg.

Its other names

Local names

Boba'o, Dodoatteta, Kabout, Lomonera, Mermer, Mu-karakara, Saat, Sekeb, Tetwen, Urgecha, Urgesa

Synonyms

Holochiloma resinosum Hochst.; Premna holstii Gurke;