Phyllanthus engleri
Pax
Spurred phyllanthus
(c) BenJee, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by BenJee
(c) BenJee, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC)
What to Eat
Edible parts: Fruit
The fleshy berries are eaten both young and mature, despite being acidic, and are sold in local markets.
Known Hazards
Where to Find It
It is a tropical plant. It grows in the lowlands. It grows in dry deciduous woodland. It grows in Miombo woodland. It is often on termite mounds and grows between 300-1,850 m altitude.
Africa, East Africa, Malawi, Mozambique, Southern Africa, Tanzania, Zambia, Zimbabwe,
How to Identify
A shrub or small tree. It grows 4.5 m tall. The trunk is 15 cm across. The branches are long and covered with prickles. The leaves are alternate and in 2 rows. The leaf blade is narrowly oval and 2-3 cm long by 1-2 cm wide. The flowers are in groups or about 4 in the axils of leaves. The flowers are white and male and female flowers are separate. The fruit is a fleshy berry with 3 lobes. It can be 2-4 cm across. It is smooth and pale yellowish-green. It contains 6 seeds. The seeds are 3 sided and 1 cm long.
How to Grow
Plants can be grown by seeds.
Medicinal Uses
The leaves and fruits are chewed as a treatment for coughs and stomach-ache. The roots are boiled and the juice is drunk to treat bilharzia, STDs, abdominal pains, menstrual problems and chest pain. Some caution should be exercised because of possible toxicity.
Other Uses
The stems are used as toothbrushes. The wood is used for carvings, poles and making cups and spoons. The wood is used for fuel.
Production
In Tanzania fruit are collected from April to August. Mature fruit can be stored in the shade for about 3 months.
Other Information
Fruit are sold in markets.
Names & Synonyms
Bakwazi, Kamana, Mboromi, Mgogodi, Mgogondi, Mkingiligili, Msamayu, Mvingiligili, Ngogondi
