Two-coloured grewia, White-leaved raisin
Grewia bicolor

Family: Malvaceae

What it is like

A small tree or shrub. It grows up to 3-8 m tall. It is often a shrub with many stems. The young branches are covered with soft hairs. The leaves are oval or sword shaped. They are smooth above and white below. The have fine teeth along the edges. The leaves are 1-8 cm long. The flowers are in bunches and are bright yellow. They have 5 narrow petals. The fruit are orange brown and 6 mm across. They are edible.

There are about 200 Grewia species. They are mostly tropical. The fruit of most may be edible. These were in the Sparrmanniaceae and the Tiliaceae.

Where it is found

A tropical plant. It grows in lowlands and highlands. It grows in drier regions. It grows in the Sahel. The rainfall in these places is 400-900 mm each year. It is often on rocky slopes near the sea. In grows on calcareous soils. It grows at low and medium altitudes in South Africa. In East Africa it grows from sea level to 2,000 m altitude. It grows best between 800-1,800 m altitude. It can grow in arid places. It is often on termite mounds. It grows in Miombo woodland in Africa. It grows in the Sahara.

Countries/locations it is found in

Africa, Angola, Arabia, Asia, Benin, Botswana, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cameroon, Central Africa, Chad, Congo DR, Côte d'Ivoire, East Africa, Eritrea, Eswatini, Ethiopia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinée, India, Ivory Coast, Kenya, Malawi, Mali, Mauritania, Mediterranean, Middle East, Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia, Niger, Nigeria, North Africa, Sahel, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Somalia, South Africa, Southern Africa, South Sudan, Sudan, Swaziland, Tanzania, Togo, Uganda, West Africa, Yemen, Zambia, Zimbabwe

How it is used for food

The ripe fruit are eaten raw and fresh. The seeds are not eaten. The fruit are also dried as candy. The fruit juice is drunk and added to porridge. It is also fermented into beer. The leaves are eaten being used as a binding agent for sauces. Fresh leaves are made into a tea drink.

The fruit are eaten especially by children.

Edible parts

Fruit, leaves - tea, vegetable, flowers

How it is grown

Plants are grown from seeds. Seeds need treatment to germinate well. The hard surface needs breaking. Cuttings root poorly but if they have a heel they are better. It can be cut back and will re-grow.

In Tanzania it grows between April to June.

Its other names

Local names

Adini'ato, Bamberou, Bastard brandybush, Bereza, Dahita, Daiyta, Dawaita, Dhebi, Ekaliye, False brandybush, Haroresa, Hebele, Imizziz, Kongulubi, Lomo, M'tongolo, Mariken dutse, Metapuessa, Mkole, Mkoma, Mkone, Mlawa, Mogwana, Mulawa, Muntongoro, Muragwa, Mutongoro, Olsitete, Omundjembere, Osiminde, Ositeti, Seffa, Sibane, Simadado, Siteti, Sitit, Somoya, Tsewayita, Umhlampunzi, Umpumpulwane

Synonyms

Grewia disticha Dinter & Burret; Grewia grisea N. E. Br.; Grewia kwebensis N. E. Br.; Grewia madandensis J. R. Drumm. ex Baker f.; Grewia mossambicensis Burret; Grewia miniata Mat. ex Hiern; Grewia salvifolia Heyne ex Roth.;