Grewia tembensis

Fresen.

Malvaceae Edible: Fruit, Seeds, Leaves 7 iNaturalist observations

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Description

A small shrub. It has several stems. It grows 4 m high. The stems are long and narrow. They are grey and smooth. The leaves are oval and slightly hairy. They are rough above and have teeth along the edge. The flowers are white or pink. The fruit have 4 lobes. They are light green and ripen to red or orange.

Edible Uses

The sweet ripe fruit are eaten fresh or as juice, and the seeds and leaves are also edible.

Traditional Uses

The sweet ripe fruit are eaten. Sometimes the juice only is eaten.

This uses section is brief — help expand it

Distribution

It is a tropical plant. In Kenya it grows between 250-2,200 m altitude. It grows in areas with a rainfall of 500-800 mm. It can grow in arid places.

Where It Grows

Africa, Asia, East Africa, Ethiopia, India, Kenya, Somalia, South Sudan, Sri Lanka, Tanzania,

Cultivation

Plants can be grown from seeds and also from cuttings.

Other Information

The fruit are popular.

Notes

These were in the Sparrmanniaceae and the Tiliaceae.

Synonyms

Grewia membranacea A. Rich.Grewia parvifolia Hochst. ex A. Rich.Grewia reticulata Hochst. ex Mast.

Also Known As

Awraris, Deka, Dheekkaa, Hashanli, Ikogom, Iyier, Kituva, Midhayo, Mkone, Mnangu, Mutuva, Nduva, Ogumdi

References (18)

Asfaw, Z. and Tadesse, M., 2001, Prospects for Sustainable Use and Development of Wild Food Plants in Ethiopia. Economic Botany, Vol. 55, No. 1, pp. 47-62
Awodoyin, R.O., Olubode, O.S., Ogbu, J.U., Balogun, R.B., Nwawuisi, J.U. and Orji, K.O., 2015, Indigenous Fruit Trees of Tropical Africa: Status, Opportunity for Development and Biodiversity Management. Agricultural Sciences, 6, 31-41
Bussman, R. W., et al., 2006, Plant Use of the Maasai of Sekenani Valley, Maasai Mara, Kenya. Journal of Ethnobiology and Ethnomedicine. 2:22
Dale, I. R. and Greenway, P. J., 1961, Kenya Trees and Shrubs. Nairobi. p 569
East African Herbarium records, 1981,

Show all 18 references

Edwards. S., et al, (Eds), 1995, Flora of Ethiopia and Eritrea. Vol.2, Part 2 Canellaceae to Euphorbiaceae. Uppsala, Sweden. p 162
Gemedo-Dalle, T., et al, 2005, Plant Biodiversity and Ethnobotany of Borana Pastoralists in Southern Oromia, Ethiopia. Economic Botany 59(1) pp. 43-65
Ichikawa, M., 1980, The Utilization of Wild Food Plants by the Suiei Dorobo in Northern Kenya. J. Anthrop. Soc. Nippon. 88(1): 25-48
Kuhnlein, H. V., et al, 2009, Indigenous Peoples' food systems. FAO Rome p 239
Maundu, P. et al, 1999, Traditional Food Plants of Kenya. National Museum of Kenya. 288p
Morgan, W. T. W., 1981, Ethnobotany of the Turkana: Use of plants by a Pastoral People and Their Livestock in Kenya. Economic Botany 35(1):96-130
Msuya, T. S., et al, 2010, Availability, Preference and Consumption of Indigenous Foods in the Eastern Arc Mountains, Tanzania, Ecology of Food and Nutrition, 49:3, 208-227
Mutie, F. G., 2020, Conservation of Wild Food Plants and Their Potential for Combatting Food Insecurity in Kenya as Exemplified by the Drylands of Kitui County. Plants 2020, 9, 1017
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
Omer, M., 2011, Diversity of Woody Species, Local Knowledge and Management Practices in Different Land Use Systems of Awbare Wereda, Jig-Jiga Zone of Somali Region, Ethiopia. M. Sc. thesis Addis Abba University p 47
Peters, C. R., O'Brien, E. M., and Drummond, R.B., 1992, Edible Wild plants of Sub-saharan Africa. Kew. p 193
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 11th June 2011]
World Checklist of Useful Plant Species 2020. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew