Strychnos volkensii

Gilg.ex Engl.

LoganiaceaeFruitPotential hazards — see below
Caution — Parts of this plant may be toxic or require specific preparation. Verify with multiple sources before consuming.
Strychnos volkensii
iNaturalist · cc-by-nc
(c) Troos van der Merwe, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC)
Strychnos volkensii
iNaturalist · cc-by-nc
(c) Troos van der Merwe, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC)
Strychnos volkensii
iNaturalist · cc-by-nc
(c) Troos van der Merwe, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC)

What to Eat

Edible parts: Fruit

The fruit pulp is edible.

Known Hazards

Many plants in the Loganiaceae family are very poisonous; caution is advised.

Where to Find It

A tropical plant. It grows in the lowlands and the highlands.

Africa, East Africa, Tanzania,

Countries: Angola, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Benin, Botswana, Congo (DRC), Central African Republic, Congo (Republic), Cote d'Ivoire, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Djibouti, Algeria, Egypt, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Gabon, Ghana, Gambia, Guinea, Equatorial Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Kenya, Comoros, Liberia, Lesotho, Libya, Morocco, Madagascar, Mali, Mauritania, Mauritius, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, Niger, Nigeria, Rwanda, Seychelles, Sudan, Sierra Leone, Senegal, Somalia, South Sudan, Sao Tome & Principe, Eswatini, Chad, Togo, Tunisia, Tanzania, Uganda, South Africa, Zambia, Zimbabwe

How to Identify

A tree. It grows 10-13 m tall. The branches have curved spines. The leaves are oblong and 4-5 cm long by 2-3 cm wide. They taper to the base. There are many flowers in groups at the tips of the small branches. The fruit are shaped like an orange with edible pulp.

Names & Synonyms

Mwage, Zanza

References (3)
  • http://www.fao.org/forestry/25323-096344a3de335832e8f363c3ac5184a66.pdf
  • Jardin, C., 1970, List of Foods Used In Africa, FAO Nutrition Information Document Series No 2.p 163
  • JSTOR Global Plants edible

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