Punum
Casearia barteri
Family: Salicaceae
What it is like
A tree. It grows about 20 m tall. The trunk can be 40 cm across. The leaves are oval and shiny green. The fruit are 4.5 cm long. The fruit split to expose seeds in a bright red aril.
There are 160-180 Casearia species. They are mostly in South America. 75 occur in tropical America. They have also been put in the plant family Flacourtiaceae.
Where it is found
It is a tropical plant. It grows in humid and swamp forests.
Countries/locations it is found in
Africa, Angola, Cameroon, Central Africa, Central African Republic, CAR, Congo DR, Congo R, Côte d'Ivoire, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Ghana, Ivory Coast, Liberia, Nigeria, Sao Tome and Principe, Sierra Leone, Sudan, West Africa
How it is used for food
The stem is used as a chew stick.
Edible parts
Stem