Grewia tenax (Forssk.) Fiori

Species

Angiosperms > Malvales > Malvaceae > Grewia

Characteristics

Shrub to 5 m tall, rarely scandent; young branches densely stellate-pubescent to ± glabrous.. Leaves ovate to broadly ovate or almost orbicular, sometimes reniform, 0.5–4.5(–6) cm long, 0.3–4(–6.2) cm wide, acute to rounded at the apex, cordate or rounded at the base, margin irregularly dentate, stellate-pubescent to glabrous, sometimes ± glaucous; petiole 2–20 mm long, sometimes long and slender compared to the lamina, stellate-pubescent to glabrous; stipules linear, up to 2 mm long.. Inflorescence a solitary flower; peduncle and pedicel together appearing like a jointed pedicel, 5–35 mm long, pubescent to glabrous, sometimes slender; bracts linear, up to 2 mm long.. Flowers white, rarely cream to yellow (due to fading?), sometimes fading pink or brown, sometimes sweetly scented; sepals 8–16 mm long, greenish on the outside; petals oblong to narrowly lanceolate, 5–12 mm long, 2–2.5 mm wide, acute to truncate or slightly bifid at the apex.. Androgynophore short, glabrous for ± 1 mm at the base, pubescent and produced for 1–1.5 mm above the node.. Stamens 6–10 mm long; filaments white; anthers yellow.. Ovary ± 1.5 mm long, glabrous; style 7–10 mm long.. Fruit (1–)4-lobed, 8–12 mm wide, the lobes 6–8 mm long, 5–6 mm wide, orange, yellow or red, glabrous.. Fig. 3/2 (leaf, p. 9).
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Small shrub up to 2 m tall, branches glabrescent. Leaf-blade up to 30 x 20 mm, orbicular to obovate, broadly rounded at the apex, rounded or abruptly cuneate at the base, rather coarsely dentate, slightly scabrous-pubescent with tufted hairs, especially below, or glabrescent; greyish green, coriaceous; petiole up to 10 mm long but usually much less, pubescent with tufted hairs; stipules up to 4 mm long, filiform, pubescent. Flowers always borne singly, leaf-opposed; peduncles about 10 mm long, almost glabrous, slender; pedicels similar, up to 10 mm long, the whole giving the appearance of an articulated pedicel; bracts about 1.5 mm long, glabrescent. Sepals greenish, 10-18 mm long, shortly pubescent outside, white and glabrous inside, linear-oblong. Petals white with a linear and often bidentate lamina almost as long as the sepals and narrower than the basal nectariferous claw which is circumvillous within, ledged above and up to 1.5 mm tall. Androgynophore with a basal glabrous portion up to 1.5 mm tall and a closely pubescent upper portion up to 1.5 mm tall. Ovary 4-lobed, glabrous or glabrescent; style about 10 mm long, glabrous; stigma-lobes broad. Fruit about 10 mm in diam., 4-lobed, shining, glabrous.
A shrub. It grows up to 2 m tall. Often it lies along the ground. The leaves are small and nearly round. They are 5 cm long. They have 5 main veins. The tip of the leaf is pointed and the edge has teeth. The lower leaf surface has hairs. The flowers are white and occur singly. They are 2 cm across. They are on long slender branches. The fruit are orange red and smooth. They have 1-4 lobes. They are the size of a small maize grain. They are edible.
Leaf-lamina up to 3 × 2 cm., orbicular to obovate, rounded at the apex, margin rather coarsely dentate, rounded or abruptly cuneate at the base, slightly scabrous-pubescent especially below, or glabrescent, greyish-green, coriaceous; petiole up to 1 cm. long, but usually much less, pubescent; stipules up to 4 mm. long, filiform, pubescent.
Flowers always borne singly, leaf-opposed; peduncles c. 10 mm. long, almost glabrous, slender; pedicels similar, up to 10 mm. long, the whole giving the appearance of an articulated pedicel; bracts minute, glabrescent, c. 1·5 mm. long.
Petals white, with a linear and often 2-dentate lamina almost as long as the sepals and narrower than the basal nectariferous claw which is circumvillous within ledged above and up to 1·5 mm. long.
Shrub, 2 m high. Leaves orbicular to obovate. Flowers always borne singly, leaf-opposed. Fruit 4-lobed, 10 mm in diameter, shining. Flowers white.
Androgynophore with a basal glabrous portion up to 1·5 mm. long and a densely pubescent upper portion up to 1·5 mm. long.
Sepals 10–18 mm. long, greenish and shortly pubescent outside, white and glabrous inside, linear-oblong.
Ovary 4-lobed, glabrous or glabrescent; style c. 10 mm. long, glabrous; stigma-lobes broad.
Fruit c. 10 mm. in diam., 4-lobed, shining, glabrous.
Small shrub up to 2 m. tall; branches glabrescent.
Shrub, to 10 ft. high
Fruits reddish.
Flowers white
Life form perennial
Growth form shrub
Growth support free-standing
Foliage retention deciduous
Sexuality hermaphrodite
Pollination entomogamy
Spread -
Mature width (meter) -
Mature height (meter) 3.0
Root system -
Rooting depth (meter) -
Root diameter (meter) -
Flower color
Blooming months -
Fruit color
Fruiting months -
Nitrogen fixer -
Photosynthetic pathway c3

Environment

A tropical plant. It grows in arid zones. It occurs in very dry woodland and semi-desert scrub. It grows on rocky and gravely soils. It grows in the Sahel. It is often near temporary pools. It is in areas with over 200 mm rainfall. It can tolerate salt. In East Africa it grows between sea level and 1,500 m altitude. It can grow in arid places. It grows in the Sahara.
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Acacia-Terminalia-Combretum woodland; between lava rocks; sandy soils; depressions in clayey-sandy soils and on laterite; humid soils during rain-season; sand on sandstone plateau; gravelly plateau and silt; gully in hills; sea level to 1,800 metres.
In the driest savannahs
Light -
Soil humidity 1-3
Soil texture -
Soil acidity -
Soil nutriment -
Hardiness (USDA) 8-12

Usage

The ripe fruit are eaten fresh and raw. They are also dried for eating later. They are added to grains in porridge. A drink is made by soaking the fruit overnight then pressing, sieving and sweetening the juice. The seeds are edible.
Uses animal food bee plant charcoal food fuel gene source invertebrate food material medicinal non-vertebrate poison poison social use wood
Edible fruits leaves roots seeds
Therapeutic use Central nervous system depressants (aerial part), Hair loss (bark), Edema (fruit), Fractures, bone (fruit), Sunstroke (fruit), Acne vulgaris (leaf), Anti-bacterial agents (leaf), Antitubercular agents (leaf), Fever (leaf), Fractures, bone (leaf), Furunculosis (leaf), Gout (leaf), Insect bites and stings (leaf), Stomatitis, aphthous (leaf), Fractures, bone (rhizome), Antineoplastic agents (root), Bites and stings (root), Diarrhea (root), Fractures, bone (root), General tonic for rejuvenation (root), Skin diseases (root), Snake bites (root), Tuberculosis (root), Wounds and injuries (root), Tuberculosis (seed), Anti-bacterial agents (stem), Antineoplastic agents (stem), Antitubercular agents (stem), Fractures, bone (stem), Anodyne (unspecified), Cough (unspecified), Side (unspecified), Central nervous system diseases (unspecified), Hypothermia (unspecified), Cough (wood), Pain (wood)
Human toxicity -
Animal toxicity -

Cultivation

Plants can be grown from seeds.
Mode seedlings
Germination duration (days) -
Germination temperacture (C°) -
Germination luminosity -
Germination treatment -
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Optimum temperature (C°) -
Size -
Vigor -
Productivity -

Images

Grewia tenax unspecified picture

Distribution

Grewia tenax world distribution map, present in Afghanistan, India, Sri Lanka, Mauritius, Pakistan, and South Africa

Conservation status

Grewia tenax threat status: Least Concern

Identifiers

LSID urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:834590-1
WFO ID wfo-0000710340
COL ID 3HDM6
BDTFX ID -
INPN ID -
Wikipedia (EN) Link
Wikipedia (FR) Link

Synonyms

Chadara tenax Grewia ribesiaefolia Grewia betulifolia Grewia populifolia Grewia tenax Grewia tenax var. glechomifolia Grewia tenax var. capillipes Grewia tenax var. ribesifolia Grewia chaadara

Lower taxons

Grewia tenax subsp. makranica