Smelly-berry vitex, Smelly-berry finger-leaf
Vitex mombassae

Family: Lamiaceae

What it is like

A shrub or tree. It grows up to 6 m tall. It often has many branches from the base. The leaves have 3-5 leaflets. The leaves have long stalks but the leaflets are stalkless. The leaflets radiate from one point and the end one is the largest. The leaflets are 7.5 cm long and 1.9 cm wide. They are densely velvety below. The flowers are violet or 2 coloured. The occur in groups on long stalks in the axils of leaves. The fruit has a hard stone and a thin fleshy covering. It is black when mature. The fruit is edible.

The fruit are rich in Vitamin C. Also put in the family Verbenaceae.

Where it is found

A tropical plant. It grows in the lowlands. It grows in the savannah. It prefers sandy soils. It occurs in hot areas on stony outcrops. It is also in deciduous woodland and especially on Kalahari sand. In Kenya it grows from sea level to 450 m altitude. It grows in areas with an annual rainfall of 955-1,050 mm. It can grow in arid places. It grows in Miombo woodland.

Countries/locations it is found in

Africa, Botswana, Central Africa, Congo, East Africa, Kenya, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa, Southern Africa, Tanzania, Zambia, Zimbabwe

How it is used for food

The flesh of the fruit is eaten raw. The fruit have an unpleasant smell and a persistent taste. The wood ash is soaked in water and filtered and this is used to tenderise vegetables during cooking. The seeds inside the hard stone is edible.

The fruit are especially eaten by children.

Edible parts

Fruit, seed, ash - salt

How it is grown

Plants can be grown from fresh seeds.

In Tanzania the ripe fruit are collected from April to June.

Its other names

Local names

Chipindimbi, Fudu, Kafutu-bututa, Kazossotchi, Lufuka, M'purru, Makuku, Mchinka, Mfalali, Mfudukoma, Mfudu-madzi, Mfuntu, Mfutu, Mkula, Mpsympsya, Mpunungu, Mpyimpya, Misasati, Msasati, Mserakunyama, Mtalali, Mufudu-madzi, Mufutu, Musarari, Musasati, Mutae, Ntonongoli, Stinkbessievingerblaar, Sungwi, Talali, Tlambaumo

Synonyms

Vitex flavescens Rolfe; Vitex pooara Corbishley;