Thespesia danis

Oliv.

Danisa

Malvaceae Edible: Fruit, Root 2 iNaturalist observations

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Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew

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MBG

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Botanical Research Institute of Texas

Description

A shrub or small tree. It grows 5 m tall. The leaves are broadly oval. They are 2-9 cm long by 2-8 cm wide. They are densely scaly. The flowers are yellow with a red, pink or purple centre. They are 2.5 cm across. The fruit is a flattened round shape. It is 1 cm across.

Edible Uses

The fruit and root are eaten, with coastal fishermen traditionally consuming the fruit.

Traditional Uses

The fruit are eaten by coastal fishermen.

This uses section is brief — help expand it

Medicinal Uses

Root decoctions are taken against gonorrhoea, stomach pain, pain in the spinal region, haematuria and swelling of the abdomen.

Distribution

A tropical plant. It grows along the coast. It can grow in salty soils. It grows between 150-500 m above sea level. It can grow in arid places. It grows in the lowlands and on alluvial flats in Kenya up to 1,200 m above sea level.

Where It Grows

Africa, East Africa, Ethiopia, Kenya, Somalia, Tanzania,

Other Uses

The fibrous bark is used for tying. A dye is obtained from the flowers and fruits. The stems are made into throwing-clubs, bows and arrows, and are used as fire-sticks.

Notes

There are 10-17 Thespesia species. They are in the tropics of Africa and Asia.

Also Known As

Dane, Danis, Kabxan, Kobahan, Kobxan, Kokonke, Mlambale, Muhohe, Muhowe, Muoro

References (14)

Burkill, I.H., 1966, A Dictionary of the Economic Products of the Malay Peninsula. Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Vol 2 (I-Z) p 2191
Dale, I. R. and Greenway, P. J., 1961, Kenya Trees and Shrubs. Nairobi. p 263
Flora Somalia. http://plants.jstor.org
Glover, et al, 1969,
Grivetti, L. E., 1980, Agricultural development: present and potential role of edible wild plants. Part 2: Sub-Saharan Africa, Report to the Department of State Agency for International Development. p 47

Show all 14 references

Jardin, C., 1970, List of Foods Used In Africa, FAO Nutrition Information Document Series No 2.p 165
JSTOR Global Plants edible
Hooker's Icon. pl. ser. 3. 4:26, t. 1336. 1881
Mutie, F. M., et al, 2023, Important Medicinal and Food Taxa (Orders and Families) in Kenya, Based on Three Quantitative Approaches. Plants 2023, 12, 1145
Pakia, M., 2000, Plant Ecology and Ethnobotany of two sacred forests (Kayas) at the Kenya Coast. M. Sc. Thesis.
Peters, C. R., O'Brien, E. M., and Drummond, R.B., 1992, Edible Wild plants of Sub-saharan Africa. Kew. p 146
Reis, S. V. and Lipp, F. L., 1982, New Plant Sources for Drugs and Foods from the New York Botanical Garden herbarium. Harvard. p 179
Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew (1999). Survey of Economic Plants for Arid and Semi-Arid Lands (SEPASAL) database. Published on the Internet; http://www.rbgkew.org.uk/ceb/sepasal/internet [Accessed 3rd May 2011]
World Checklist of Useful Plant Species 2020. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew