Maerua kirkii
F. White
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(c) i_c_riddell, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by i_c_riddell
iNaturalist· cc-by-nc
(c) Duncan McKenzie, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC)
Description
A shrub or small tree. It grows 5 m tall. The leaves are simple and 4-12 cm long by 2-5 cm wide. They are shiny above and dull underneath. The flowers are in dense groups near the ends of branches. The flowers are white. The fruit are 1.7 cm across and round. There are 2-4 seeds that are 1 cm long by 0.5 cm wide.
Edible Uses
The nuts are boiled and eaten.
Traditional Uses
The nuts are boiled and eaten.
This uses section is brief — help expand it
Distribution
It is a tropical plant.
Where It Grows
Africa, East Africa, Kenya, Zambia,
References (3)
- Ichikawa, M., 1980, The Utilization of Wild Food Plants by the Suiei Dorobo in Northern Kenya. J. Anthrop. Soc. Nippon. 88(1): 25-48
- Mutie, F. G., 2020, Conservation of Wild Food Plants and Their Potential for Combatting Food Insecurity in Kenya as Exemplified by the Drylands of Kitui County. Plants 2020, 9, 1017
- Mutie, F. M., et al, 2023, Important Medicinal and Food Taxa (Orders and Families) in Kenya, Based on Three Quantitative Approaches. Plants 2023, 12, 1145
