Canthium ventosum

(L.) S. Moore

Turkey berry

Rubiaceae Edible: Fruit 1,937 iNaturalist observations

iNaturalist· cc-by-nc

Description

A tree. It can be 3-6 m tall but grows to 15 m tall in the forest. It can be a shrub or creeper. The leaves are simple and opposite. They are 2.5-7.5 cm long and 3.8 cm wide. The leaves are green above and paler underneath. The flowers are small and greenish-yellow. They occur in bunches in the axils of leaves. The fruit are oblong and about 1.3 cm long. They have 2 lobes and 2 seeds. They are green and become purple or black when ripe. They are edible. Possibly now Olinia ventosa

Edible Uses

The fruit are eaten.

Traditional Uses

The fruit are eaten.

This uses section is brief — help expand it

Distribution

A tropical plant. It grows in the forest along the coast.

Where It Grows

Africa, East Africa, Mozambique, South Africa, Southern Africa, Zimbabwe,

Notes

There are about 200 Canthium species. Canthium ventosum (L.) S. Moore is an unresolved name and Canthium ventosum Kuntze is a synonym of Canthium inerme (L.f.) Kuntze.