Characteristics
A tree. It grows up to 12-20 m tall. The bark is smooth and grey. The young branches are covered with white hairs. The leaves are oval and pointed. They are 7.5-20 cm long and 3-7.5 cm wide. The leaves are rough and dark green above but paler underneath. The veins are prominent underneath. The flowers are white and without stalks. They occur as many flowers together on the ends of branches. The fruit are orange red berries. They are 1 cm across. The fruit enclose four separate small nuts. The fruit is edible.
| Life form |
perennial
|
| Growth form |
tree
|
| Growth support |
-
|
| Foliage retention |
deciduous
|
| Sexuality |
hermaphrodite
|
| Pollination |
entomogamy
|
| Spread |
-
|
| Mature width (meter) |
-
|
| Mature height (meter) |
12.0 - 20.0
|
| Root system |
-
|
| Rooting depth (meter) |
-
|
| Root diameter (meter) |
-
|
| Flower color |
-
|
| Blooming months |
-
|
| Fruit color |
-
|
| Fruiting months |
-
|
| Nitrogen fixer |
-
|
| Photosynthetic pathway |
-
|
Environment
A tropical plant. It grows in areas with a rainfall of 1300-2000 mm per year. They usually grow on the edge of the forest. In East Africa it grows between 1,100-2,300 m altitude.
| Light |
-
|
| Soil humidity |
-
|
| Soil texture |
-
|
| Soil acidity |
-
|
| Soil nutriment |
-
|
| Hardiness (USDA) |
-
|
Usage
The fruit can be eaten but is very acid. The stem is chewed.
| Uses |
-
|
| Edible
|
fruits
stems
|
| Therapeutic use
|
-
|
| Human toxicity |
-
|
| Animal toxicity |
-
|
Cultivation
| Mode |
-
|
| Germination duration (days) |
-
|
| Germination temperacture (C°) |
-
|
| Germination luminosity |
-
|
| Germination treatment |
-
|
| Minimum temperature (C°) |
-
|
| Optimum temperature (C°) |
-
|
| Size |
-
|
| Vigor |
-
|
| Productivity |
-
|
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