Diospyros mespiliformis Hochst. ex A.Dc.

Evergreen tree 5-27(-35) (exceptionally 45) m. tall, with spreading densely rounded crown, but occasionally flowering as a shrub only 1-3 m. tall; has been described as mango-like with leaves near the ground.. Bole 1.5 m. and crown 7.5 m.; d.b.h. 38-60 cm. and presumably more; bark blackish or dark brown, very rough, longitudinally channelled, flaking in irregular scales; slash pinkish brown or black outside, pink inside ( fide F.W.T.A.); branchlets knobby, tomentellous with pinkish adpressed hairs when young, glabrescent.. Leaves drying pale reddish brown when young, dull grey-green above and yellowish green beneath when old, mostly narrowly elliptic to narrowly oblong-elliptic or oblong to oblanceolate-elliptic, 3.5-19 cm. long, 1.5-7.5 cm. wide, mostly acute to subacuminate, less often obtuse or rounded at the apex, cuneate to rounded at the base, subcoriaceous, minutely strigulose puberulous with adpressed and spreading flexuose hairs beneath; lateral nerves 15-20 pairs, ascending at 45°, indistinct, together with the tertiary nerves and venation forming a reticulum ± prominent on both sides; petiole 7-10 mm. long, the margins ± revolute.. Male flowers subsessile in 3’ s on peduncles 4-6 mm. long arising from the axils of deciduous reduced leaves at the base of the current year’ s growth or of the first-formed normal leaves; flower-buds adpressed silvery-silky velvety; calyx 3 mm. long; calyx-lobes 4-5, triangular, 1.5 mm. long; corolla white or greenish yellow, sweetly scented, narrowly urceolate, 6 mm. long, sericeous-tomentose outside; corolla-tube 5 mm. long, glabrous inside and thickened at the throat; corolla-lobes 4-5, triangular, 1 mm. long; stamens ± 14, 4 mm. long, included; filaments 1 mm. long, glabrous, inserted on the receptacle; anthers narrowly lanceolate, apiculate, glabrous except for a few hairs on the connective; rudimentary ovary minute, tomentose.. Female flowers subsessile, solitary or rarely 2-3 together, in the axils of reduced leaves at the base of the current year’ s shoot; calyx and corolla similar to the male but calyx 8 mm. long and lobes triangular-cordate with undulate-plicate reflexed margins; corolla 1-1.2 cm. long; staminodes 6-12, filiform, 4 mm. long, glabrous, inserted at the base of the corolla; ovary 3 mm. in diameter with style scarcely differentiated; locules 4 or 6; stigma sessile.. Fruit yellow, globose, 1.5-2.5 cm. diameter, shiny, verruculose, at first adpressed ferruginous hairy, at length glabrous save for a few hairs near the base of the persistent style, soft, edible with ± dry sweet flesh; calyx patelliform or slightly cyathiform, the lobes with recurved strongly undulate margins.. Seeds 3-6, reddish brown or dark, compressed oblong-ellipsoid, ± 10 × 6.5 × 4.5 mm., rugulose when dry; the endosperm deeply ruminate.. Fig. 3/27.

A tropical plant. It can grow in the tropical lowlands. It occurs in tropical Africa south of the Sahara. It grows in the Sahel. It grows in semi arid woodland. In occurs where the mean temperatures are between 16°C and 27°C. In Tanzania it grows between 350-1250 m altitude. It is more common where rainfall is 500-1270 mm per year. It does best on heavy soils. It often grows near streams and freshwater. It can grow on termite mounds. It can grow in arid places. It grows in Miombo woodland in Africa.

The fruit are eaten fresh or dried. They are also made into a porridge. The fruit can be dried and stored. The seeds are also edible. The fruit are also used to make beer, or wine. The fruit can be used for jam, and sweets.

Plants are grown from seed. Seeds take about one month to germinate. Seeds can be covered in boiling water and left to soak overnight before planting. They can also be grown by coppicing and by root suckers. They can be grown by cuttings. Seeds need plenty of moisture to germinate well. Fruit are often collected from the ground but can be picked from the tree.