Grewia similis
K. Schum.
(c) Mark Hyde, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by Mark Hyde
(c) Subramanian Sevgan, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC)
What to Eat
Edible parts: Fruit, Leaves
The ripe fruit are eaten raw as a snack and are especially popular with children; they are also sold in local markets. Pounded leaves are used as a dry season leafy green vegetable.
Where to Find It
A tropical plant. It grows in bush and grassland but not in dry areas. It grows between 600-2,200 m above sea level in East Africa. It can grow in arid places.
Africa, Burundi, Central Africa, Congo, East Africa, Kenya, Rwanda, Southern Africa, Sudan, Tanzania, Uganda,
How to Identify
A shrub or small tree. It grows 3 m high. It can be a climber growing 9 m high. The bark is smooth and grey brown. It becomes rougher with age. The leaves are broadly oval and 5 cm long. They are glossy green above. The tip can be rounded or notched. There are teeth along the edge. There are 3 veins from the base. The young shoot are hairy. The flowers are red or pink. The anthers are yellow. The flowers are 2 cm across. There are 3-6 flowers in a group at the ends of branches or in the axils of leaves. The fruit are fleshy berries. They are green but turn orange then red as they ripen. The fruit have 4 lobes and each lobe is about 5 mm across. The ripe fruit is edible.
How to Grow
Plants can be grown from seeds.
Propagation: Seed - we have no specific information for this species but seed of this genus is generally best sown as soon as it is ripe. Stored seed has a hard seedcoat and may benefit from scarification before sowing in order to speed up and improve germination. This can usually be done by pouring a small amount of nearly boiling water on the seeds (being careful not to cook them!), allowing the mix to cool somewhat and then leaving it in a warm place to soak for 12 - 24 hours. Sow the seeds in situ or in a nursery seedbed or trays - do not allow the compost to become dry. Germination and early growth are usually quite quick. Cuttings - best taken with a heel.
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 bark is pounded and the powder used to treat wounds, sores and snakebite.
Other Uses
The wood is hard and heavy. It is used for building poles, tool handles, walking sticks, pegs, withies, bows and clubs. The wood is used for fuel.
Wikipedia
Source ↗Grewia similis is a species of flowering plant in the family Malvaceae, native to the Democratic Republic of the Congo, eastern Tropical Africa, and Ethiopia. It is the preferred browse species of eastern black rhinoceroses (Diceros bicornis michaeli).
Production
In Tanzania fruit are collected from April to June.
Other Information
The fruit are especially eaten by children. Fruit are sold in local markets.
Notes
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.
Names & Synonyms
Aroya, Aroyo, Chomisiat, Ebitiwosing, Ekeli, Gajagi, Irri, Mkole, Mkoma, Mloga, Mnangu, Mudura, Muduruduru, Muherigendi, Mutuba, Mutuva, Mutuya, Ol-neligwat, Saski, Tondinwa, Umukomagore
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