Trilepisium madagascariense
DC.
False fig, Urn fig
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(c) Linda Loffler, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by Linda Loffler
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(c) Troos van der Merwe, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC)
Summary
Source: WikipediaTrilepisium madagascariense, the urnfig or false-fig, is a species of plant in the family Moraceae, with an extensive range in the subtropical and tropical Afrotropics. It grows to a medium-sized or large tree in primary or secondary forest, or in forest patches, and is rarely cultivated.
Description
It is a large tree. It grows to 17-35 m high. The trunk is furrowed. The bark is grey. The leaves are simple and glossy. The leaves are rigid and narrowly oval. They are oblong and 7-14 cm long by 3-6.5 cm wide. They are very dark green and glossy. They are leathery. They taper from a broad base to a rounded tip. The veins form loops. The flowers are separate but in the same receptacle. The flowers are urn shaped being swollen in the middle and narrowing at the top. They are in the axils of the leaves. The receptacle is about 1.5 cm long. It is something like a fig. It has a wide opening at the top. There are many male flowers with stamens sticking out the end of the receptacle. The female flowers are imbedded in the fleshy receptacle. The fruit is a nut. These are embedded in the fleshy receptacle. The whole structure is about 2 cm long. The fruit is fleshy and contains a single seed.
Edible Uses
The leaves are cooked as a vegetable. The ripe fruit are eaten fresh or roasted, and the seeds (with skin removed) are roasted and eaten as a nut. The fruit are especially popular with children.
Traditional Uses
The leaves are used as a vegetable. They are cut then cooked. The seeds with the skin removed are roasted as a nut and eaten. The ripe fruit are eaten fresh. They are also roasted.
Medicinal Uses
Roots are pounded, soaked in cold water and the infusion mixed with porridge made out of finger millet flour. The porridge is drunk as a remedy for impotence.
Distribution
A tropical plant. It grows in the lowlands and highlands. It grows along the edges of rivers and in patches of evergreen forest. It extends into the savannah in West Africa. It grows from sea level to 2,000 m above sea level.
Where It Grows
Africa, Angola, Benin, Cameroon, Central Africa, Central African Republic, CAR, Congo DR, Congo R, Côte d'Ivoire, East Africa, Eswatini, Ethiopia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinée, Ivory Coast, Kenya, Madagascar, Malawi, Mozambique, Nigeria, Sao Tome and Principe, Seychelles, South Africa, Southern Africa, Swaziland, Tanzania, Togo, Uganda, West Africa, Zambia, Zimbabwe,
Cultivation
Plants can be grown from fresh seeds. Plants can be budded. It can be grown from cuttings.
Other Uses
A latex is obtained from the bark. It turns orange to blood-red upon exposure to air. Used to waterproof bags, it is also sometimes used to adulterate rubber. The milky sap is the source of a red dye. The wood is strong and heavy. It is used for building poles, tool handles, spoons, bedsteads, bows, gunstocks and carvings. The wood is used for fuel.
Production
In Tanzania fruit are collected from October to December.
Other Information
The fruit are especially eaten by children.
Notes
There is only one variable Trilepisium species.
Synonyms
Also Known As
Anziga, Bastard fig, Bumbu, Daocou, Daocu, Fongi, Gabo, Gagut, Gemuy, Goboy, Gogee, Indoli, Kid, Koko eran, Kumbu, M'tundui, Metchi, Mfilafila, Mkwenampelele, Mrua, Msisingololo, Mzughu, Mzugo, Nsekena, Nsekeni, Ntombo a ngola, Okure, Omukumbwe, Osomzo, Oze, Pongi, Saworo, Toukoutou, Triwa, Tulukpala, Ukputu
References (36)
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Show all 36 references Hide references
- Burkill, H. M., 1985, The useful plants of west tropical Africa, Vol. 4. Kew.
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