Redskin
Maprounea africana

Family: Euphorbiaceae

What it is like

A small deciduous tree. It has spreading branches. It can grow 7 m tall but is often 4-5 m tall. The bark is thick, dark and rough. It is deeply cracked. The leaves are alternate and simple. They are oval and 3-5 cm long by 2.2-3 cm wide. The young leaves are bright red. They become light green when mature then red when old. The leaf stalks can be 15 cm long. The flowers are yellow in contracted spikes almost like balls. These are 5 mm across. The sexes are separate but in the same spike. The male flowers are very small and the female ones on stalks. The fruit is a 3 lobed capsule. It is about 10 mm across. It is red when mature but dries to brown.

Where it is found

A tropical plant. It grows in open woodland. It is often on sandy soils and sometimes on dunes. In Zimbabwe it grows up to 1,600 m above sea level.

Countries/locations it is found in

Africa, Angola, Botswana, Central Africa, Congo, East Africa, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, Nigeria, South Africa, Southern Africa, Tanzania, West Africa, Zambia, Zimbabwe

How it is used for food

Edible parts

Leaves

How it is grown

Its other names

Local names

Karnwaya, Lumwamwa, Magic nut, Mdiadothe, Messolo, Muanahre, Munhunho, Mutimbwa, Navela

Synonyms

Excoecaria magenjensis Sim; Maprounea obtusa Pax; Maprounea vaccinioides Pax.;