Vitex fischeri

Family: Lamiaceae

What it is like

A tree. It grows 35 m tall. The trunk is without branches for 18 m. The trunk is 180 cm across. The bark is thin. The crown is rounded. The young branches have velvety hairs. The leaves are alternate and compound. There are 5 leaflets arranged like fingers on a hand. The leaflets are narrowly oval and 5-19 cm long by 3-10 cm wide. They taper to the tip. The leaflets are leathery and hairy. The flowers are in groups up to 12 cm long in the axils of leaves. The flowers are white with a blue tinge. The fruit is oval and fleshy. It is 1-2.5 cm long. It is black with white or green spots. There is a 4 celled stone with up to 4 seeds.

Also put in the family Verbenaceae.

Where it is found

A tropical plant. It grows in evergreen forests and open woodland. It grows up to 2,100 m altitude. In Kenya the annual average rainfall is 1,200-2,000 mm and the temperature 15-23°C.

Countries/locations it is found in

Africa, Angola, Cameroon, Central Africa, Congo, East Africa, Kenya, Sudan, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia

How it is used for food

The fruit are eaten raw.

Fruit are sold in local markets.

Edible parts

Fruit

How it is grown

Plants are grown from seed. Seed from partly ripe fruit are best.

Trees grow quickly. In Tanzania fruit are collected from April to June.

Its other names

Local names

Kalume, Mgobe, Misongang'holo, Mkhulu, Mohutu, Mufutu, Mufutumwe

Synonyms

Vitex keniensis Turrill;