Hirtella zanzibarica subsp. megacarpa
(R. A. Graham) Prance
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(c) feno, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by feno
iNaturalist· cc-by-nc
(c) feno, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC)
Summary
Source: WikipediaHirtella zanzibarica subsp. megacarpa is a subspecies of flowering plant in the family Chrysobalanaceae. It is endemic to Tanzania.
Description
A tall evergreen tree. It grows 25 m tall. The young branches are hairy. The leaves are alternate and leathery. They are simple and narrowly oval. They are 8 cm long. There is a tip at the point and it tapers towards the base. The leaves are fairly dull on both surfaces. The flowers are white. They are in much branched heads 6-10 cm across. These are at the ends of the branches or in the axils of the leaves. The fruit are green. They are oval but narrow at the base. They are 3.5 cm long. They have a hard covering and smell hairs. They are brittle. There is one seed.
Edible Uses
The ripe fruits are collected from the ground and eaten as a snack, and are especially enjoyed by children.
Traditional Uses
The ripe fruit are collected from the ground and eaten as a snack.
This uses section is brief — help expand it
Distribution
It is a tropical plant. It grows in upland rainforest between 1,300-2,000 m above sea level in Tanzania. It suits humid locations.
Where It Grows
Africa, East Africa, Tanzania,
Cultivation
Plants can be grown from seeds.
Production
Ripe fruit are collected from April to June.
Other Information
The fruit are especially enjoyed by children.
Also Known As
Mkonechacha, Mwawa
References (1)
- Ruffo, C. K., Birnie, A. & Tengnas, B., 2002, Edible Wild Plants of Tanzania. RELMA p 380 (As Hirtella megacarpa)
