Xymalos monospora

(Harv.) Baill. ex Warb.

Lemonwood

Annonaceae Edible: Fruit 299 iNaturalist observations

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Description

A medium to large tree. It grows 8-25 m tall. It is often poorly shaped. The bark is light greyish-brown. It is marked with rings and circles. The leaves are opposite and simple. They are broad and oval. Leaves are 5-18 cm long by 2-6.2 cm wide. They are dark green. The leaves smell of lemon. The edges are irregularly toothed. The flowers are in short spikes in the axils of leaves near the ends of branches. The sexes are separate on separate trees. The fruit are oval and 1.5 cm long. They are fleshy and orange but red when ripe.

Edible Uses

The fruit (berries) are edible.

Traditional Uses

The fruit (berries) are edible.

This uses section is brief — help expand it

Distribution

A tropical plant. It grows in moist evergreen forest, especially mountain forest. Trees are resistant to fire. In Nigeria it has been recorded at 1,500 m above sea level.

Where It Grows

Africa, Asia, Burundi, Cameroon, Central Africa, Congo, East Africa, India, Kenya, Malawi, Mozambique, Nigeria, Rwanda, South Africa, Southern Africa, Sudan, Tanzania, Uganda, West Africa, Zambia, Zimbabwe,

Notes

There is only one Xymalos species.

Synonyms

Toxicodendrum acutifolium Benth.

Also Known As

Chikalaka, Mblaka, Mpekeso, Mulaka, Nakaswaga, Nyaruboombwe

References (10)

Ambasta, S.P. (Ed.), 2000, The Useful Plants of India. CSIR India. p 695
Chapman, J. D. & Chapman, H. M., 2001, The Forest Flora of Taraba and Andamawa States, Nigeria. WWF & University of Canterbury. p 188
Fowler, D. G., 2007, Zambian Plants: Their Vernacular Names and Uses. Kew. p 48
Jardin, C., 1970, List of Foods Used In Africa, FAO Nutrition Information Document Series No 2.p 169
Keay, R.W.J., 1989, Trees of Nigeria. Clarendon Press, Oxford. p 34

Show all 10 references

Palgrave, K.C., 1996, Trees of Southern Africa. Struik Publishers. p 174
Peters, C. R., O'Brien, E. M., and Drummond, R.B., 1992, Edible Wild plants of Sub-saharan Africa. Kew. p 147
White, F., Dowsett-Lemaire, F. and Chapman, J. D., 2001, Evergreen Forest Flora of Malawi. Kew. p 379
Williamson, J., 2005, Useful Plants of Malawi. 3rd. Edition. Mdadzi Book Trust. p 269
World Checklist of Useful Plant Species 2020. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew