Cordia monoica

Roxb.

Sandpaper cordia, Cork bush

Boraginaceae Edible: Fruit, Seeds Potential hazards — see below 228 iNaturalist observations

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Summary

Cordia monoica, the sandpaper saucer-berry, or snot berry, is a species of flowering tree in the family Cordiaceae, that is native to India, Sri Lanka and in African countries from Sudan, Ethiopia, Somalia, Kenya, Zimbabwe down to South Africa.

Description

A shrub. It has several stems. It grows up to 6-15 m tall. The bark is blue-grey. It is fibrous and peels off in strips. The leaves are broad and oval. They are 5-8 cm long. The leaf edges are slightly toothed. The upper leaf surface is like sandpaper to touch. It is softly hairy underneath. The leaf stalks is 2 cm long. The small branches, leaf stalks and flower stalks are covered with dense rusty hairs. The flowers are pale yellow. They have a sharp smell. They occur in clusters near the ends of branches. Each flower in the shape of a tube and is about 1 cm across. The fruit are oval and pointed. They are yellow-orange and soft when ripe. They are 2 cm long and held in a case of leaves covering about one third of their length. The pulp of the fruit is edible. There is a single seed inside.

Edible Uses

The ripe fruit pulp is edible and eaten fresh, peeled, with the seed discarded. The fruit are especially popular with children.

Traditional Uses

The ripe fruit are eaten fresh. They are peeled and the seed discarded.

This uses section is brief — help expand it

Medicinal Uses

The leaves are used in the treatment of chest pain. The leaves are used to treat eye diseases. The leaves and stem bark are used in a steam bath to treat leprosy, whilst the body is also washed with a decoction made from the pounded bark. The roots are used tin the treatment of vomiting and malaria. .

Known Hazards

The seed should be discarded before eating.

Distribution

A tropical plant. It grows in wet forest as well as in low lying grassland. In East Africa it grows from sea level to 2,200 m altitude. It can grow in arid places.

Where It Grows

Africa, Angola, Arabia, Asia, Botswana, Burundi, Central Africa, Congo, East Africa, East Timor, Eswatini, Ethiopia, India, Indonesia, Kenya, Mauritius, Middle East, Mozambique, Myanmar, Namibia, SE Asia, Somalia, South Africa, Southern Africa, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Swaziland, Tanzania, Timor-Leste, Uganda, Zambia, Zimbabwe,

Cultivation

Plants can be grown from seed. Seed can be collected from fruit which fall to the ground. The seed should be dried carefully. Soaking seed for 6 hours helps them to grow.

Propagation

Seed - slow to germinate, soaking the seed for 6 hours prior to sowing can improve germination rates.

Other Uses

The leaves are very rough and are used as a sandpaper. The wood is tough and used for building poles, bows, withies, walking sticks, clubs and pestles. The wood is used for fuel.

Production

The plant is slow growing. Fruit are collected during the dry season.

Other Information

The fruit are eaten especially by children.

Notes

There are about 300 Cordia species.

Synonyms

Cordia ovalis DC. & A. DC.

Also Known As

Adebot, Bagalmo, Bagharimo, Kithei, Lilovu lelimnyama, Lilovu lelimnyama, Marergom, Mdawi Msenha, Medero, Mendhero, Mine gure, Msasa, Msowowi, Mugotahozi, Muthii, Nruveli, Nthei, Oseki, Pohon amplas, Pohon teo-tea, Qotte, Somboro, Subula, Taparer, Tole etta, Tolohota, Tolo'ota, Toloqota, Tonta

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