Erythroxylum emarginatum

Thonn.

Common coca tree

Erythroxylaceae Edible: Fruit 228 iNaturalist observations

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Description

A shrub or small tree. It grows 6 m tall. It can be 25 m tall. The bark is dark grey. It has cracks along it. The leaves are alternate and broadly sword shaped. The leaves are 2-13 cm long by 1-5 cm wide. The leaves are held in one plane and the ends of the branches are flattened. It has sweet-scented white flowers. The flowers are in small clusters and in the axils of leaves. They are white to cream. The fruit are red berries. They are fleshy. They are 10-13 mm long.

Edible Uses

The red berries are eaten and are an important wild food in some areas.

Distribution

It is a tropical plant. It grows in coastal grassy savannah plains. It also grows on stream banks. In Malawi it grows in forests between 600-2,150 m altitude.

Where It Grows

Africa, Angola, Burkina Faso, Central Africa, East Africa, Eswatini, Gabon, Ghana, Guinea, Guinée, Kenya, Malawi, Mozambique, Nigeria, Sao Tome and Principe, South Africa, Southern Africa, Swaziland, Tanzania, West Africa, Zambia, Zimbabwe,

Other Information

It is an important wild food in some areas.

Synonyms

Erythroxylum caffra Sond.

Also Known As

Karra, Mpetu, Mudekeko, Mutsanzuti, Nancoguare, Nancuacar, Rundo, Rutsitu, Shirundi, Umneyana

References (9)

Burkill, H. M., 1985, The useful plants of west tropical Africa, Vol. 2. Kew.
Chapman, J. D. & Chapman, H. M., 2001, The Forest Flora of Taraba and Andamawa States, Nigeria. WWF & University of Canterbury. p 174
Fowler, D. G., 2007, Zambian Plants: Their Vernacular Names and Uses. Kew. p 24
Long, C., 2005, Swaziland's Flora - siSwati names and Uses http://www.sntc.org.sz/flora/
Lovett, J. C. et al, Field Guide to the Moist Forest Trees of Tanzania. p 46

Show all 9 references

Schmidt, E., Lotter, M., & McCleland, W., 2007, Trees and shrubs of Mpumalanga and Kruger National Park. Jacana Media p 228
White, F., Dowsett-Lemaire, F. and Chapman, J. D., 2001, Evergreen Forest Flora of Malawi. Kew. p 238
World Checklist of Useful Plant Species 2020. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew
www.zimbabweflora.co.zw 2011