Tricalysia coriacea

(Benth.) Hiern

Crown fruit tricalysia

Rubiaceae Edible: Fruit 14 iNaturalist observations

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Description

A tree. It grows 9 m tall. It has a large trunk. The leaves are 5-20 cm long by 1-9 cm wide. They are oval. The edges curve back. They are leathery. The flowers are in the axils of leaves or from where leaves have fallen. The flowers have a sweet scent. The fruit are 6-10 mm across and red. There are 2-5 seeds in each chamber.

Edible Uses

The small red fruit are eaten.

Distribution

It is a tropical plant. It grows in lowland and mid altitude rainforest. In Nigeria it is recorded at 760 m above sea level. It suits humid locations. It is often along streams.

Where It Grows

Africa, Angola, Central Africa, Central African Republic, CAR, East Africa, Liberia, Malawi, Mozambique, Niger, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, Southern Africa, Tanzania, West Africa, Zambia, Zimbabwe,

Production

In Central African Republic flowers have been observed in September and fruit in January and February.

Synonyms

Randia coriacea Benth.Tricalysia coriaceoides De Wild.Tricalysia nyassae Hiern.Tricalysia petiolata De Wild.Tricalysia vignei Aubrev. & Pellgr.

References (6)

Chapman, J. D. & Chapman, H. M., 2001, The Forest Flora of Taraba and Andamawa States, Nigeria. WWF & University of Canterbury. p 200
East African Herbarium records, 1981,
Flora Zambesiaca. http://apps.kew.org/efloras
Fowler, D. G., 2007, Zambian Plants: Their Vernacular Names and Uses. Kew. p 58 (subsp. nyassae)
Peters, C. R., O'Brien, E. M., and Drummond, R.B., 1992, Edible Wild plants of Sub-saharan Africa. Kew. p 176

Show all 6 references