Lecaniodiscus fraxinifolius subsp. vaughanii

(Dunkley) Friis

River litchi

Sapindaceae Edible: Fruit 49 iNaturalist observations

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Description

A leafy tree. It grows 5-18 m tall. The bark is grey and fairly smooth. It becomes darker and more rough with age. The leaves are alternate and compound. There are 3-7 pairs of thin leaflets. They are 3-11 cm long. Young leaflets are orange to red. They turn pale green. The flowers are yellow to green. They are along loose spike like heads. These are 10 cm long. They occur in the axils of leaves. Trees are separately male and female. The female flower stalks are shorter than the male. The fruit ate yellow to orange capsules. They are oval and 1 cm long. They are covered with short hairs. The flesh is blue. There is one seed.

Edible Uses

The ripe fruit are eaten as a snack.

Traditional Uses

The ripe fruit are eaten as a snack.

This uses section is brief — help expand it

Distribution

It is a tropical plant. It grows near rivers and the edges of forests. It can form thickets. In Tanzania it grows from sea level to 1,400 m above sea level.