Sand apple, Dwarf medlar
Pygmaeothamnus zeyheri

Family: Rubiaceae

What it is like

A small shrub. It grows 20 cm high. It forms colonies from branched underground stems. The branches are erect. The leaves are dark green above and paler underneath. They are leathery and in rings of 3 or opposite in twos. The leaves are 4-16 cm long by 2-6 cm wide. The leaves do not have hairs. The flowers are in groups in the axils of leaves. The flowers are green. The fruit are green and 2 cm across. They turn yellow when ripe.

Where it is found

A tropical plant. It grows in hot arid places. It grows in sandy and stony soil. It grows between 90-2,000 m above sea level. It can grow in arid places.

Countries/locations it is found in

Africa, Angola, Botswana, Burundi, Central Africa, Congo, East Africa, Namibia, South Africa, Southern Africa, Tanzania, Zambia, Zimbabwe

How it is used for food

The ripe fruit is eaten raw. They can be dried and stored for 4 weeks and are then eaten dry. They are also used for juice. It is pounded and then left to stand in water.

The fruit are especially eaten by children.

Edible parts

Fruit

How it is grown

Plants can be grown by seeds or suckers.

They are collected during the rainy season.

Its other names

Local names

Boboo, Booboo, Kave, Kindokoli, Kitokoli, Maboya, Mandungu, Mbumba, Mothlabelo, Mpenzwa, Namadhata, Umkukuzela

Synonyms

Vangueria zeyheri (Sond.) Sond.; Pachystigma zeyheri (Sond.) Robyns var. oatesii Robyns; Pachystigma zeyheri Sond.; Canthium oatesii Rolfe;