Cordia somaliensis

Baker

Boraginaceae Edible: Fruit 1 iNaturalist observations

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MBG

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Meise Botanic Garden

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Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew

Description

A shrub or small tree. It grows 5 m tall. It can have spreading branches or branches that lie over. The bush is about 3 m across. The small branches have a dense white covering of hairs. The leaves are sword shaped and 7 cm long by 2.5 cm wide. There can be rounded teeth towards the tip. The base is wedge shaped. The leaves are slightly hairy on top. The flowers are in dense groups towards the ends of branches. They are white and have a scent. The fruit are orange. They are edible.

Edible Uses

Fruit. Pulpy. The orange, ovoid-conic fruit is around 10 - 17mm long including the long-drawn-out acute beak.

Distribution

A tropical plant. It grows near the coast. It can grow on sand dunes.

Where It Grows

Africa, East Africa, Ethiopia, Kenya, Somalia,

Cultivation

The sweet-scented flowers open in the evening.

Notes

There are about 300 Cordia species.

Also Known As

Mchimba-kasa, Mbwale, Mtia, Pumbazi

References (3)

Dale, I. R. and Greenway, P. J., 1961, Kenya Trees and Shrubs. Nairobi. p 71
Ethiopia: Famine Food Field Guide. http://www.africa.upenn.edu/faminefood/category3.htm
Jardin, C., 1970, List of Foods Used In Africa, FAO Nutrition Information Document Series No 2.p 130