Tassel Berry
Antidesma venosum

Family: Phyllanthaceae

What it is like

A shrub or small tree. It can grow to 15 m tall. The crown can be round and spreading or drooping. The bark is pale and flaky. The young twigs are covered with red hairs. The leaves are simple, large and without teeth. They can be 2.5-15 cm long and 1.9-10 cm wide. The leaf shape and hairiness varies. There are about 7 pairs of conspicuous veins. The flowers are small and greenish. Male and female flowers occur on separate trees. The fruit is small and with one seed. It is 7 mm long by 5 mm wide. Several occur in a bunch. The fruit are oval and flattened. The colour varies between yellow, pink, red and black and fruit of several colours can occur on one bunch. The fruit are edible.

There are about 100-170 Antidesma species.

Where it is found

A tropical plant. It occurs in coastal bush. It grows naturally in Central and Southern Africa. It needs to be in a frost free area. It can grow in arid places. It grows in the lowlands. It grows in wet grassland savannah. It grows in Miombo woodland. In Tanzania it grows between sea level to 1,200 m above sea level in areas with a rainfall between 700-2,000 mm.

Countries/locations it is found in

Africa, Angola, Australia, Benin, Botswana, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cameroon, Central Africa, Central African Republic, CAR, Chad, China, Congo DR, Côte d'Ivoire, East Africa, Eswatini, Ethiopia, Gabon, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinée, Guinea-Bissau, Indochina, Ivory Coast, Kenya, Laos, Malawi, Mali, Mozambique, Namibia, Niger, Nigeria, Rwanda, Sahel, SE Asia, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Somalia, South Africa, Southern Africa, Sudan, Swaziland, Tanzania, Thailand, Togo, Uganda, Vietnam, West Africa, Zambia, Zimbabwe

How it is used for food

The ripe fruit are eaten fresh, especially by children. The dry shell is removed. The seeds are discarded. The leaves are used to make a drink.

The fruit are eaten especially by children. It is a commonly used fruit in Mozambique.

Edible parts

Fruit, leaves, seeds

How it is grown

Both male and female fruit are necessary for fruiting. Plants are grown from seeds. The ripe black fruit are harvested from the tree and dried in the shade then sown. Seeds usually germinate in 10-20 days. Seedlings can be transplanted at the 3 leaf stage. It can be cut back and will re-grow. Plants can be grown from root suckers.

Seedlings grow fairly quickly. Fruit are collected during and after the rainy season.

Its other names

Local names

Bhekindoda, Chidiapumbwa, Chikura, Hubulu, Huda, Fitidi de nseke, Fuitidi, Imhlalanyoni, Inhlalalgwabgwa, Isambalabwabwa, Isibamuloti, Isibangamlota, Kamanena, Kihuro, Kitelanthia, Kitolanthia, Linene, Mdundira, Mdyapimbwa, Meskela, Mgwejameno, Mkundu wa ubi, Motilwane, Motshela-khwale, Mpepea, Mpululu, Mpungulira, Msekela, Mselala, Mserera, Mufhala-khwali, Mugaramunhu, Mukala, Mukhwali-kwali, Muindi, Murombe, Murungamunya, Mushongue, Musumbaramgamga, Namasamasa, Namatjamatja, Odugu-kulo, Phasanhwari, Sambalalalgwabgwa, Sambusi, Shonga, Sirika, Tassle Berry, Tawotatchoyan, Tosselbessie, Umhlala-sasem-kangala, Umtshongi, Umumwelaminzi, Voelsitbloom

Synonyms

Antidesma bifrons Tul.; Antidesma boivianum Baill.; Antidesma fuscocinereum Beille; Antidesma natalense Harv.; Antidesma neriifolium Pax & K. Hoffm.; Antidesma nervosum E. Mey ex Tul. var. thouarsianum Tul.; Minutalia tomentosa Fenzl;