Grewia tenax

Grewia tenax, called the phalsa cherry, white crossberry, raisin bush, gangara, gangu, or kanger, is a species of flowering plant in the family Malvaceae. It is native to Africa, from the Sahara to Tanzania and parts of southern Africa, the Arabian Peninsula, and on to the Indian subcontinent. The ripe fruit is edible and is consumed by local peoples either fresh, dried, or powered in drinks.

Description

A shrub. It grows up to 2 m tall. Often it lies along the ground. The leaves are small and nearly round. They are 5 cm long. They have 5 main veins. The tip of the leaf is pointed and the edge has teeth. The lower leaf surface has hairs. The flowers are white and occur singly. They are 2 cm across. They are on long slender branches. The fruit are orange red and smooth. They have 1-4 lobes. They are the size of a small maize grain. They are edible.

Edible Uses

The ripe fruit are eaten fresh and raw, or dried for later consumption and added to grains in porridge. A drink is made by soaking the fruit overnight, then pressing, sieving, and sweetening the juice. The seeds are also edible.

Traditional Uses

The ripe fruit are eaten fresh and raw. They are also dried for eating later. They are added to grains in porridge. A drink is made by soaking the fruit overnight then pressing, sieving and sweetening the juice. The seeds are edible.

Medicinal Uses

Grewia species are valued in many cultures for their medicinal virtues. The main medicinal action appears to come from the mucilage that is found in the leaves, stems and roots, which has been shown to have soothing and healing properties. Taken internally it is often used as a remedy for diarrhoea and dysentery, for example, whilst externally it is applied to wounds, cuts, ulcers, irritations etc. The plant can be taken as a simple infusion or decoction, or it can be applied topically as a poultice of the plant, or the mucilage can be extracted from the plant, if required, by maceration and then decoction. The roots are used to make a poultice and are used for curing various skin diseases. A mucilage obtained from the bark is reported to possess bactericidal activity and is used in the treatment of tuberculosis. The mucilaginous bark preparation is used by women as a treatment against hair vermin. The plant (parts not specified) is used as a remedy for colds and chest complaints and is also a chief constituent in a typhoid remedy A decoction of the wood is given in the treatment of coughs and pains. A ethanolic extract of the aerial parts was found to exhibit CNS depressant activity

Distribution

A tropical plant. It grows in arid zones. It occurs in very dry woodland and semi-desert scrub. It grows on rocky and gravely soils. It grows in the Sahel. It is often near temporary pools. It is in areas with over 200 mm rainfall. It can tolerate salt. In East Africa it grows between sea level and 1,500 m altitude. It can grow in arid places. It grows in the Sahara.

Where It Grows

Africa, Algeria, Arabia, Asia, Botswana, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Central Africa, Chad, Djibouti, East Africa, Egypt, Ethiopia, India, Iran, Kenya, Malawi, Mali, Mauritania, Mediterranean, Middle East, Morocco, Namibia, Niger, Nigeria, North Africa, Pacific, Pakistan, Sahel, Senegal, Somalia, Southern Africa, Southern Africa, South Sudan, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Tanzania, Tonga, Uganda, West Africa, Western Sahara, Yemen, Zimbabwe,

Cultivation

Plants can be grown from seeds.

Propagation

Seed - germination is reportedly difficult in this species. However, germination percentages of over 75% have been achieved by pretreating the seed by repeated washing and scrubbing until all the flesh is removed. Germination then occurs after 10 days.

Other Uses

The bark is used to make ropes and for binding work in hut construction. The heartwood is brown, the sapwood yellow. The wood is extremely hard, close-grained and termite-resistant. It is used for walking sticks, implement handles, spear and harpoon-shafts, canoes etc. The wood is used as a fuel and for making charcoal. The shrub can be used for hedging. The plant has an aggressive root system, which holds fast to the soil protecting it from water and wind erosion; whilst its leaf litter improves soil physical and chemical properties. Combined with its sturdy growth habit, it seems to have promise as a dune fixing plant in desert reclamation projects. Intercropping with this plant may not affect crop growth adversely.

Production

In NW Pakistan fruit are available in August.

Other Information

The fruit are eaten especially by children.

Notes

Chemical composition (Sudan sample): Protein (crude) = 6.3% (dry). Fat = 0.4% (dry). Fibre (crude) = 8.1% (dry). Ash = 4.5% (dry). Carbohydrate (soluble): Starch = 15.1% dry). Sucrose = 1.6% (dry). D-glucose = 21.0% (dry). D-fructose = 24.3% (dry). Amino acids (g [16g N]-1): Aspartic acid = 8.1g. Threonine = 2.1g. Serine = 2.4g. Glutamic acid = 6.2g. Proline = 11.6g. Glycine = 3.5g. Alanine = 2.4g. Valine = 2.8g. Cysteine = 1.0g. Methionine = 0.7g. Isoleucine = 2.0g. Leucine = 3.4g Tyrosine = 2.5g. Phenylalanine = 2.2g. Lysine = 2.0g. Histidine = 1.1g. Arginine = 3.2g. Minerals: Sulphur = 0.10% (dry). Potassium = 0.08% (dry). Magnesium = 0.17% (dry). Calcium = 0.61% (dry). Na = 0.01% (dry). K = 1.45% (dry). Zinc = 21 mg/kg-1 (dry). Iron = 74 mg/kg-1 (dry). Manganese = 10 mg/kg-1 (dry). Copper = 7 mg/kg-1 (dry). There are about 200 Grewia species. They are mostly tropical. The fruit of most may be edible. These were in the Sparrmanniaceae and the Tiliaceae.

Nutrition

Synonyms

Also Known As

Achuchu, Chaberi, Chaqlessa, Chari, Daieta-konso, Daiyta, Damak, Deka tuntuna, Dhafaruur, Eka fila, Eng'omo, Engoma, Gaddem, Gangara, Gangee, Gangeran, Gangerun, Gango, Gangu kanger, Giddem, Gidem, Gondni, Guddeim, Gundukadira, Gwangi, Gwigo, Hedayito, Horma-daiyta, Huda, Kadadari, Kakoon, Kaladi, Kamanmua, Kanatol, Kango, Khedar, Khus, Mine gure, Mkokora, Mkoma, Nari, Oqombi, Pasthawnai, Phalsa cherry, Saarkama, Sari, Small-leaved white cross-berry, Schohudt, Tapadi, Tarakat, Taran, Toronwo

References (71)

• ABDELMUTI,
• Addis, G., Asfaw, Z & Woldu, Z., 2013, Ethnobotany of Wild and Semi-wild Edible Plants of Konso Ethnic Community, South Ethiopia. Ethnobotany Research and Applications. 11:121-141
• Addis, G., et al, 2013, The Role of Wild and Semi-wild Edible Plants in Household Food Sovereignty in Hamer and Konso Communities, South Ethiopia. Ethnobotany Research & Applications. 11:251-271
• Agric. Colon. 5, suppl. 23. 1912
• Ahmad, K. & Pieroni, A., 2016, Folk knowledge of wild food plants among the tribal communities of Thakht-e-Sulaiman Hills, North-West Pakistan. Journal of Ethnobiology and Ethnomedicine, 12:17

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