Gardenia erubescens Stapf & Hutch.

Stout shrub or small tree 1.5–3(–6.5) m. tall with densely pubescent young branchlets; bark plane-like, smooth, pale grey; branching irregular.. Leaves in whorls of 3; blades obovate to oblanceolate, (2.5–)4.5–20 cm. long, (1.2–)2–10 cm. wide, usually rounded at the apex, rarely acute, cuneate at the base, glabrous, nearly always drying purplish or purple-brown above, pallid and glaucous beneath, the venation mostly pale above in life, frequently drying dark reddish beneath; petiole up to 4 mm. long; stipules ± 3 mm. long, tomentose.. Calyx-tube 4–8 mm. long, densely pubescent; tubular part of calyx-limb 0.6–1.2 cm. long, densely pubescent or finally nearly glabrous, pilose inside; lobes 6, usually filiform or at least ending in fine tips, 0.4–1.2 cm. long.. Corolla cream turning yellowish, the tube mostly greenish white; tube 2.5–7.5 cm. long, sparsely to ± densely pubescent outside; lobes 6, elliptic or oblong-elliptic, (1.2–)2–4.7 cm. long, 0.7–1.7 cm. wide.. Anthers well-included, up to 2 cm. long.. Ovary with 6 placentas; style up to 7 cm. long; stigma-lobes yellow-green, 3–5 mm. long.. Fruit grey to yellow, ellipsoid to narrowly oblong, 4.5–8 cm. long, 2.5–3 cm. wide, sometimes ridged when young.

A tropical plant. It grows in savannah and savannah woodland. It grows in the Sahel. It can grow in arid places.

The ripe fruit are eaten raw. They are also used for sauces and soups.

Can be grown by seedlings.