Carissa tetramera

Carissa tetramera, the sand num-num, is a plant in the dogbane family Apocynaceae. The specific epithet tetramera means 'four parts', referring to the flower.

Description

A shrub. It grows up to 3 m high. The spines are usually forked and 5 cm long. The leaves are 4.5 cm long by 2.5 cm wide. They are rounded at the base and also often at the tip. They are more pale underneath. The flower clusters are rather small. The fruit are round and 1 cm across. They are purplish-black and have 4 or 5 seeds.

Edible Uses

The fruit are eaten raw and also used for a drink. The roots are also edible.

Traditional Uses

The fruit are eaten raw and also used for a drink.

This uses section is brief — help expand it

Distribution

It is a tropical plant. It grows in dry open woodland. It grows in coastal areas.

Where It Grows

Africa, East Africa, Eswatini, Kenya, Mozambique, South Africa, Southern Africa, Swaziland, Tanzania, Zimbabwe,

Notes

There about 20-37 Carissa species. All Carissa species bear edible fruit. They grow in the tropics and subtropics.

Synonyms

Also Known As

Muleo, Mtandamboo, Murungulu, Nvuje-ya-tsi

References (12)

• East African Herbarium records, 181,
• Ferns, Tropical Plants
• Magwede, K., van Wyk, B.-E., & van Wyk, A. E., 2019, An inventory of Vhavenḓa useful plants. South African Journal of Botany 122 (2019) 57–89
• 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.

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