Sandpaper cordia, Cork bush
Cordia monoica

Family: Boraginaceae

What it is like

A shrub. It has several stems. It grows up to 6-15 m tall. The bark is blue-grey. It is fibrous and peels off in strips. The leaves are broad and oval. They are 5-8 cm long. The leaf edges are slightly toothed. The upper leaf surface is like sandpaper to touch. It is softly hairy underneath. The leaf stalks is 2 cm long. The small branches, leaf stalks and flower stalks are covered with dense rusty hairs. The flowers are pale yellow. They have a sharp smell. They occur in clusters near the ends of branches. Each flower in the shape of a tube and is about 1 cm across. The fruit are oval and pointed. They are yellow-orange and soft when ripe. They are 2 cm long and held in a case of leaves covering about one third of their length. The pulp of the fruit is edible. There is a single seed inside.

There are about 300 Cordia species.

Where it is found

A tropical plant. It grows in wet forest as well as in low lying grassland. In East Africa it grows from sea level to 2,200 m altitude. It can grow in arid places.

Countries/locations it is found in

Africa, Angola, Arabia, Asia, Botswana, Burundi, Central Africa, Congo, East Africa, East Timor, Eswatini, Ethiopia, India, Indonesia, Kenya, Mauritius, Middle East, Mozambique, Myanmar, Namibia, SE Asia, Somalia, South Africa, Southern Africa, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Swaziland, Tanzania, Timor-Leste, Uganda, Zambia, Zimbabwe

How it is used for food

The ripe fruit are eaten fresh. They are peeled and the seed discarded.

The fruit are eaten especially by children.

Edible parts

Fruit, seeds

How it is grown

Plants can be grown from seed. Seed can be collected from fruit which fall to the ground. The seed should be dried carefully. Soaking seed for 6 hours helps them to grow.

The plant is slow growing. Fruit are collected during the dry season.

Its other names

Local names

Adebot, Bagalmo, Bagharimo, Kithei, Lilovu lelimnyama, Lilovu lelimnyama, Marergom, Mdawi Msenha, Medero, Mendhero, Mine gure, Msasa, Msowowi, Mugotahozi, Muthii, Nruveli, Nthei, Oseki, Pohon amplas, Pohon teo-tea, Qotte, Somboro, Subula, Taparer, Tole etta, Tolohota, Tolo'ota, Toloqota, Tonta

Synonyms

Cordia ovalis DC. & A. DC.;