Round-leaf grewia, Mallow raisons
Grewia villosa

Family: Malvaceae

What it is like

A shrub. It grows 2-4 m tall. It is usually much branched. It loses its leaves during the year. The leaves are oval or round and are large. They are 2.5-14 cm across. They have teeth along the edges. They are copper coloured. There are downy hairs on both surfaces. The leaves are more pale underneath. The fruit is red and hairy. The have 4 shallow lobes. They are 12 mm across. The fruit are edible.

There are about 200 Grewia species. They are mostly tropical. The fruit of most may be edible. These were in the Sparrmanniaceae and the Tiliaceae.

Where it is found

A tropical plant. It grows on rocky soils rich in iron. It grows in drier places. It grows in the Sahel. It occurs in low altitude mixed woodland. It Ethiopia it grows well between 800-1,800 m altitude. It can grow in arid places.

Countries/locations it is found in

Africa, Angola, Arabia, Asia, Botswana, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Central Africa, Chad, East Africa, Egypt, Eritrea, Eswatini, Ethiopia, Ghana, Guinea-Bissau, India, Israel, Kenya, Mali, Mediterranean, Middle East, Mozambique, Namibia, Niger, North Africa, Oman, Pakistan, Sahel, Senegal, Somalia, South Africa, South Sudan, Southern Africa, Sudan, Swaziland, Tanzania, Uganda, West Africa, Yemen, Zambia, Zimbabwe

How it is used for food

The ripe orange fruit are usually eaten raw. The skin is rubbed off and the seeds discarded.

A much liked sweet fruit. The fruit are eaten especially by children.

Edible parts

Leaves, fruit, seeds

How it is grown

Plants are grown from seed. They are best planted directly.

In Tanzania it is collected May to July. In NW Pakistan fruit are available in July.

Its other names

Local names

Amapayenyane, Amasendendwangu, Balneda, Banta, Barnedo, Bonkako, Chenulu, Chiamaguna, Citta, Dogomdii, Dohan, Epongai, Gangetî, Gariwa, Gomashaa, Gomesha, Gomosh, Habeleyta, Hlukayebe, Injarai, Ipopoi, Insarram Jalidar, Jenukallai, Kabish, Kashkasri, Kharmati, Kobbish, Korfu, Kubbish, Kullai, Kumorobasho, Lonkas, Luketa, Makow, Mallow raisin, Mallow-leaved cross-berry, Malvarosyntjie, Mbuu, Mkoma, Mokuwo, Mshoshote, Mugu, Mupunzu, Mushendewabosokwe, Muvu, Offissa, Ogadie, Ogomdii, Ogomteta, Ogumdi, Okura, Olmangulai, Olukuru, Padekhado, Parekhado, Pastuwanne, Perukadalai, Qoffissa, Rug, Sannudippe, Tomur al abid, Umjelekudzi, Umlekule, Vattachi

Synonyms

Grewia corylifolia A. Rich.; Grewia echinata Del.; Grewia orbiculata G. Don.;