Volkameria glabra
(E. Mey.) Mabb. & Y. W. Yuan;
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(c) Peter Vos, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by Peter Vos
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(c) Troos van der Merwe, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC)
iNaturalist· cc-by-nc
(c) Troos van der Merwe, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC)
Description
A shrub or small tree. It can be 10 m tall. It is much branched. The flowers have a scent. The fruit are 6-10 mm across. They are yellowish-white.
Edible Uses
The fruit is edible. It is 6 - 10mm in diameter, marbled-white when ripe but turning black if it is dried.
Traditional Uses
The fruit is eaten raw.
This uses section is brief — help expand it
Medicinal Uses
The leaves are febrifuge, sedative, stomachic and vermifuge. A decoction of the leaves is used as a treatment for fevers. The leaves are also used to treat pulmonary troubles, stomach troubles, paralysis, epilepsy, spasms, convulsions. The leaves are used to make wound dressings. The root is used as an antidote to venomous stings, bites etc. It is also used in the treatmant of arthritis, rheumatism, etc. The bark is purgative.
Distribution
It is a tropical and subtropical plant. It needs a fertile, well-drained soil and a sunny position.
Where It Grows
Africa, Angola, Botswana, East Africa, Kenya, Mozambique, Namibia, Somalia, South Africa, Southern Africa, Tanzania,
Cultivation
Plants can be grown from fresh seeds. They germinate in 20-60 days at 20°C.
Propagation
Seed - best sown as soon as possible. Germination can be erratic but usually takes place within 20 - 60 days at 20°c. When large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and grow them on until large enough to plant out Softwood cuttings Cuttings of half-ripe wood Root cuttings Division of suckers
Other Uses
The plant is used as a hedge in Sierra Leone.
Production
A fruit weighs about 0.6 g.
Nutrition
| Part | Moisture | kJ | kcal | Protein | Vit A | Vit C | Iron | Zinc |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fruit | 81.3 | — | — | — | 8.4 | — | — | — |
Synonyms
References (6)
- Fern, K., 2012, Tropical Species Database http://theferns.info/tropical/
- Fox, F. W. & Young, M. E. N., 1982, Food from the Veld. Delta Books. p 364 (As Clerodendrum glabrum)
- Ruiters-Welcome, A. K., 2019, Food plants of southern Africa. Ph.D. thesis. Univ. of Johannesburg p 72
- Welcome, A. K. & Van Wyk, B.-E., 2019, An inventory and analysis of the food plants of southern Africa. South African Journal of Botany 122 (2019) 136–179
- Wilson, A. L. & Downs, C. T., 2012, Fruit nutritional composition and non-nutritive traits of indigenous South African tree species. South African Journal of Botany. 78:30-36 (As Clerodendrum glabrum)
Show all 6 references Hide references
- World Checklist of Useful Plant Species 2020. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew
