Strychnos usambarensis

Family: Loganiaceae

What it is like

A shrub or climber. It can be a shrub 5 m high then climb to 70 m long. The fruit are orange when ripe but pale green when young. They are round and soft. They are 1-2 cm across.

Where it is found

It is a tropical plant. It grows in the lowlands and the highlands. It grows in rain-forest between sea level and 2,000 m above sea level.

Countries/locations it is found in

Africa, Botswana, Burkina Faso, Central Africa, Congo, East Africa, Mozambique, Sierra Leone, South Africa, Tanzania, West Africa, Zambia, Zimbabwe

How it is used for food

Edible parts

Fruit

How it is grown

The fruit are available in the dry season.

Its other names

Local names

Kangala, Mkwakwa, Mtonga, Nhacateme, Patancosse, Sumgba

Synonyms

Strychnos micans S. Moore;