Antidesma venosum
E. Mey. ex Tul.
Tassel Berry
(c) Paolo Candotti, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by Paolo Candotti
(c) Gail Bowers-Winters, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by Gail Bowers-Winters
(c) graham_g, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC)
What to Eat
Edible parts: Fruit, Leaves, Seeds
The ripe fruit are eaten fresh, with the dry shell removed and seeds discarded. The leaves are used to make a drink.
Known Hazards
Where to Find It
A tropical plant. It occurs in coastal bush. It grows naturally in Central and Southern Africa. It needs to be in a frost free area. It can grow in arid places. It grows in the lowlands. It grows in wet grassland savannah. It grows in Miombo woodland. In Tanzania it grows between sea level to 1,200 m above sea level in areas with a rainfall between 700-2,000 mm.
Africa, Angola, Australia, Benin, Botswana, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cameroon, Central Africa, Central African Republic, CAR, Chad, China, Congo DR, Côte d'Ivoire, East Africa, Eswatini, Ethiopia, Gabon, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinée, Guinea-Bissau, Indochina, Ivory Coast, Kenya, Laos, Malawi, Mali, Mozambique, Namibia, Niger, Nigeria, Rwanda, Sahel, SE Asia, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Somalia, South Africa, Southern Africa, Sudan, Swaziland, Tanzania, Thailand, Togo, Uganda, Vietnam, West Africa, Zambia, Zimbabwe,
How to Identify
A shrub or small tree. It can grow to 15 m tall. The crown can be round and spreading or drooping. The bark is pale and flaky. The young twigs are covered with red hairs. The leaves are simple, large and without teeth. They can be 2.5-15 cm long and 1.9-10 cm wide. The leaf shape and hairiness varies. There are about 7 pairs of conspicuous veins. The flowers are small and greenish. Male and female flowers occur on separate trees. The fruit is small and with one seed. It is 7 mm long by 5 mm wide. Several occur in a bunch. The fruit are oval and flattened. The colour varies between yellow, pink, red and black and fruit of several colours can occur on one bunch. The fruit are edible.
Nutrition Score: 11/100
| Part | Moisture | kJ | kcal | Protein | Vit A | Vit C | Iron | Zinc |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fruit | 93.7 | 74 | 18 | 0.4 | — | 2 | 0.9 | 0.2 |
| Leaves | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
How to Grow
Both male and female fruit are necessary for fruiting. Plants are grown from seeds. The ripe black fruit are harvested from the tree and dried in the shade then sown. Seeds usually germinate in 10-20 days. Seedlings can be transplanted at the 3 leaf stage. It can be cut back and will re-grow. Plants can be grown from root suckers.
Propagation: Seed - Suckers
Medicinal Uses
The leaves are used to make a drink.
Other Uses
The wood is used for tool handles and knife sheaths. The wood is used for fuel.
Wikipedia
Source ↗Antidesma venosum, commonly known as the tassel-berry, is a species of small dioecious tree in the family Phyllanthaceae. It is native to Africa, China and Indochina. Numerous small, sessile flowers are produced on drooping catkin-like spikes, which are about 10 cm long. The flowers produce an unpleasant smell, and the tree is in fruit for more than a month during late summer. Each small, oval-shaped fruit measures about 8 x 4 mm in size. They are initially fleshy green, and change to bright red and eventually purplish black as they ripen. The fruit are utilized by many species of animals.
Production
Seedlings grow fairly quickly. Fruit are collected during and after the rainy season.
Other Information
The fruit are eaten especially by children. It is a commonly used fruit in Mozambique.
Notes
There are about 100-170 Antidesma species.
Names & Synonyms
Bhekindoda, Chidiapumbwa, Chikura, Hubulu, Huda, Fitidi de nseke, Fuitidi, Imhlalanyoni, Inhlalalgwabgwa, Isambalabwabwa, Isibamuloti, Isibangamlota, Kamanena, Kihuro, Kitelanthia, Kitolanthia, Linene, Mdundira, Mdyapimbwa, Meskela, Mgwejameno, Mkundu wa ubi, Motilwane, Motshela-khwale, Mpepea, Mpululu, Mpungulira, Msekela, Mselala, Mserera, Mufhala-khwali, Mugaramunhu, Mukala, Mukhwali-kwali, Muindi, Murombe, Murungamunya, Mushongue, Musumbaramgamga, Namasamasa, Namatjamatja, Odugu-kulo, Phasanhwari, Sambalalalgwabgwa, Sambusi, Shonga, Sirika, Tassle Berry, Tawotatchoyan, Tosselbessie, Umhlala-sasem-kangala, Umtshongi, Umumwelaminzi, Voelsitbloom
References (57)
- Abbiw, D.K., 1990, Useful Plants of Ghana. West African uses of wild and cultivated plants. Intermediate Technology Publications and the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. p 41, 46
- Ann. Sci. Nat. Bot. ser. 3, 15:232. 1851
- Aparicio, H., et al, 2021, Ethnobotanical study of medicinal and edible plants used in Nhamacoa area, Manica provinceMozambique. South African Journal of Botany 139 (2021) 318-328
- Bircher, A. G. & Bircher, W. H., 2000, Encyclopedia of Fruit Trees and Edible Flowering Plants in Egypt and the Subtropics. AUC Press. p 35
- Bojang, L., 1999, Non-wood Forest Products in The Gambia. EC-FAO Partnership Programme.
- Bruschi, P., et al, 2014, Traditional use of plants in a rural community of Mozambique and possible links with Miombo degradation and harvesting sustainability. Journal of Ethnobiology and Ethnomedicine. 2014, 10:59
- Burkill, H. M., 1985, The useful plants of west tropical Africa, Vol. 2. Kew.
- Busson, 1965,
- Codjia, J. T. C., et al, 2003, Diversity and local valorisation of vegetal edible products in Benin. Cahiers Agricultures 12:1-12
- CROSS-UPCOTT
- Dale, I. R. and Greenway, P. J., 1961, Kenya Trees and Shrubs. Nairobi. p 185
- Food Composition Tables for use in Africa FAO http://www.fao.org/infoods/directory No. 859
- Fowler, D. G., 2007, Zambian Plants: Their Vernacular Names and Uses. Kew. p 25
- Fox, F. W. & Young, M. E. N., 1982, Food from the Veld. Delta Books. p 189
- Global Plants JSTOR
- Grivetti, L. E., 1980, Agricultural development: present and potential role of edible wild plants. Part 2: Sub-Saharan Africa, Report to the Department of State Agency for International Development. p 47, 66, 71
- INFOODS:FAO/INFOODS Databases
- Jardin, C., 1970, List of Foods Used In Africa, FAO Nutrition Information Document Series No 2. p 121
- Joffe, P., 2007, Creative Gardening with Indigenous Plants. A South African Guide. Briza. p 99
- Latham, P., 2004, Useful Plants of Bas-Congo province. Latham & DFID p 37
- Latham, P. & Mbuta, A. K., 2014, Useful Plants of Bas-Congo Province, Democratic Republic of Congo. Volume 1. p 56
- Latham, P. & Mbuta, A. K., 2017, Plants of Kongo Central Province, Democratic Republic of Congo. Volume 1. 3rd ed p 61
- Le Houerou, H. N., (Ed.), 1980, Browse in Africa. The current state of knowledge. International Livestock Centre for Africa, Ethiopia. p 162
- Long, C., 2005, Swaziland's Flora - siSwati names and Uses http://www.sntc.org.sz/flora/
- Lovett, J. C. et al, Field Guide to the Moist Forest Trees of Tanzania. p 47
- Lulekal, E., et al, 2011, Wild edible plants in Ethiopia: a review on their potential to combat food insecurity. Afrika Focus - Vol. 24, No 2. pp 71-121
- Magwede, K., van Wyk, B.-E., & van Wyk, A. E., 2019, An inventory of Vhavenḓa useful plants. South African Journal of Botany 122 (2019) 57–89
- Malaisse, F., 1997, Se nourrir en floret claire africaine. Approche ecologique et nutritionnelle. CTA., p 91.
- Mannheimer, C. A. & Curtis. B.A. (eds), 2009, Le Roux and Muller's Field Guide to the Trees and Shrubs of Namibia. Windhoek: Macmillan Education Namibia. p 250
- Maroyi, A., 2011, The Gathering and Consumption of Wild Edible Plants in Nhema Communal Area, Midlands Province, Zimbabwe. Ecology of Food and Nutrition 50:6, 506-525
- Maroyi, A. & Cheikhyoussef, A., 2017, Traditional knowledge of wild edible fruit in southern Africa: A comparative use patterns in Namibia and Zimbabwe. Indian Journal of Traditional Knowledge. 16(3): 385-392
- Mashile, S. P., et al, 2019, Indigenous fruit plants species of the Mapulana of Ehlanzeni district in Mpumalanga province, South Africa. South African Journal of Botany 122 (2019) 180–183
- Masters, T., 2021, Traditional food plants of the upper Aswa River catchment of northern Uganda—a cultural crossroads. Journal of Ethnobiology and Ethnomedicine (2021) 17:24
- Maundu, P. et al, 1999, Traditional Food Plants of Kenya. National Museum of Kenya. p 65
- 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
- Palgrave, K.C., 1996, Trees of Southern Africa. Struik Publishers. p 406
- Palmer, E and Pitman, N., 1972, Trees of Southern Africa. Vol. 2. A.A. Balkema, Cape Town p 1114
- Peters, C. R., O'Brien, E. M., and Drummond, R.B., 1992, Edible Wild plants of Sub-saharan Africa. Kew. p 108
- Recher, P, 2001, Fruit Spirit Botanical Gardens Plant Index. www.nrg.com.au/~recher/ seedlist.html p 1
- Rodin, 1985,
- Roodt, V., 1998, Trees & Shrubs of the Okavango Delta. Medicinal Uses and Nutritional value. The Shell Field Guide Series: Part 1. Shell Botswana. p 194
- Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew (1999). Survey of Economic Plants for Arid and Semi-Arid Lands (SEPASAL) database. Published on the Internet; http://www.rbgkew.org.uk/ceb/sepasal/internet [Accessed 16th April 2011]
- Ruffo, C. K., Birnie, A. & Tengnas, B., 2002, Edible Wild Plants of Tanzania. RELMA p 140
- Ruiters-Welcome, A. K., 2019, Food plants of southern Africa. Ph.D. thesis. Univ. of Johannesburg p 86
- Schmidt, E., Lotter, M., & McCleland, W., 2007, Trees and shrubs of Mpumalanga and Kruger National Park. Jacana Media p 266
- Scudder, 1971,
- Segnon, A. C. & Achigan-Dako, E. G., 2014, Comparative analysis of diversity and utilization of edible plants in arid and semi-arid areas in Benin. Journal of Ethnobiology and Ethnomedicine 2014, 10:80
- Swaziland's Flora Database http://www.sntc.org.sz/flora
- van Wyk, B, van Wyk, P, and van Wyk B., 2000, Photographic guide to Trees of Southern Africa. Briza. p 55
- Venter, F & J., 2009, Making the most of Indigenous Trees. Briza. p 50
- Vivien, J., & Faure, J.J., 1996, Fruitiers Sauvages d'Afrique. Especes du Cameroun. CTA p 147
- Wehmeyer, A. S, 1986, Edible Wild Plants of Southern Africa. Data on the Nutrient Contents of over 300 species
- Welcome, A. K. & Van Wyk, B.-E., 2019, An inventory and analysis of the food plants of southern Africa. South African Journal of Botany 122 (2019) 136–179
- Williamson, J., 2005, Useful Plants of Malawi. 3rd. Edition. Mdadzi Book Trust. p 26
- Wilson, A.L. & Downs, C. T., 2012, Fruit nutritional composition and non-nutritive traits of indigenous South African tree species. South African Journal ofBotany. 78:30-36
- World Checklist of Useful Plant Species 2020. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew
