Chytranthus obliquinervis

Radlk. ex Engl.

Sapindaceae Edible: Fruit 1 iNaturalist observations

gbif· cc-by-nc-sa

MBG

gbif· cc-by-nc-sa

MBG

gbif· cc-by

Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew

Description

A small tree. It grows 15 m tall. The trunk has few branches but then a crown of very large leaves. The bark is grey to brown and smooth. The leaves have an odd number of leaflets. There are 7-12 pairs. The leaf stalk is 35-100 cm long. The lower leaflets are small and about 2 cm long while the upper leaflets can be 45 cm long. The flowers are on clusters on the trunk. They are 5-15 cm long. They are white to a yellow green. The fruit is fleshy and has 3 lobes. It is softly hairy when young.

Edible Uses

The ripe fruits are collected and eaten raw as a snack.

Traditional Uses

The ripe fruit are collected and eaten raw as a snack.

This uses section is brief — help expand it

Distribution

It is a tropical plant. It grows in lowland forest. It can be on sand or coral and along rivers. It grows from sea level to 900 m above sea level.

Where It Grows

Africa, East Africa, Kenya, Tanzania,

Cultivation

Plants can be grown from seed.

Other Uses

The wood is hard and tough. It is used for poles, snare traps, pegs etc. The wood is used for fuel and to make charcoal.

Production

Fruit are collected from May to June.

Notes

It is a rare species only occurring in a few places.

Also Known As

Mpwakapwaka

References (4)

Lovett, J. C. et al, Field Guide to the Moist Forest Trees of Tanzania. p 153
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
Ruffo, C. K., Birnie, A. & Tengnas, B., 2002, Edible Wild Plants of Tanzania. RELMA p 200
World Checklist of Useful Plant Species 2020. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew