Synsepalum cerasiferum

Family: Sapotaceae

What it is like

A medium to tall tree. The crown is spreading. It grows 40 m high. The trunk is straight and 70 cm across. The leaves are dark green with paler green midribs. They are oval to sword shaped and 6-17 cm long by 5-6 cm wide. The fruit are oval red berries. They are 2.5 cm long and 2 cm wide. They are edible. There is a seed 2 cm long and 1.5 cm wide.

Where it is found

It is a tropical plant. It grows in the lowlands and the highlands. It grows in evergreen mountain forest in West Africa. In Nigeria it has been recorded at 750-1,550 m above sea level.

Countries/locations it is found in

Africa, Angola, Benin, Cameroon, Central Africa, Central African Republic, CAR, Congo, Côte d'Ivoire, East Africa, Ghana, Guinea, Guinée, Ivory Coast, Kenya, Liberia, Malawi, Mozambique, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, Southern Africa, Sudan, Tanzania, Togo, West Africa, Zambia

How it is used for food

The ripe fruit are eaten as a snack. The ripe fruit are also soaked in water, squeezed and filtered and sugar added then the juice is drunk.

The fruit are especially eaten by children.

Edible parts

Fruit

How it is grown

Its other names

Local names

Bar, Chien, Goro badi, Iara, Mkumbulu, Msambia, Muohoyo, Musuamankima, Nsuama nkima, Ntwomboun

Synonyms

Bakeria cerasifera (Welw.) Dubard; Sersalisia usambarensis Engl.; Afrosersalisia cerasifera (Welw.) Aubrev.; Afrosersalisia disaco (Hiern) Aubrev.; Chrysophyllum disaco Hiern; Amorphospermum cerasiferum (Welw.) Baehni;