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Edible : Fruit

A deciduous tree. It often has several stems. It can grow to 15 m high. The bark is pale grey and fairly smooth. It loses its leaves during the year. The leaves are pale green and attractive. They are oval and 8-20 cm long by 12 cm wide and rounded at the base. They are shiny and limp. Leaf stalks are up to 1 cm long. There are leaf stipules on the young shoots. The flowers are greenish white in clusters in the axils of leaves. These are 8 cm long. The flowers are yellow green and 8 mm long. They are small and few. The petals are pale green. Fruit are round, smooth and green with white dots. They are about 4-5 cm across. Often fruit are in bunches of 5-6. Fruit contain 4 or more seeds. The seeds are 1-2 cm long. The fruit are edible.

A tropical plant. It grows in the lowlands. They suit a range of soil types. They have good drought tolerance. It grows in scrub and on the edges of forests. The grow naturally in dry forest edges. They grow from sea level to 2,130 m altitude. It grows in areas with rainfall from 600 to 1200 mm annually. Temperatures are in the range 17°C to 29°C. The plant needs to be in an open sunny position. It can re-grow after fire. It cannot tolerate frost.

Common names : Spanish tamarind, Smooth wild-medlar, Bergel, Bururi, Dimbliksha, Engumi, Erakwtu, Gara, Ikormosiyoi, Kamolwet, Kanoy, Katkara tenga, Kikomoa, Kikomua, Kirkir, Knoy, Komol, Komolwo, Loshoro, Mdaria, Mesho, Moyen, Msada, Msambalawe, Mubiru, Mudhukanta, Muhilu, Mukomoa, Mulande-nu-kue, Mviru, Ngoromosui, Odeyo, Ol-gumei, Surangaro, Tamarind of the Indies, Tamarindo, Voa-vanga,

Synonyms : 

Canthium edule (Vahl) Baill.;
Canthium maleolens Chiov.;
Dondisia foetida Hassk.;
Vangueria acutiloba Robyns;
Vangueria commersonii Jacq.;
Vangueria cymosa C. F. Gaertn.;
Vangueria edulis Lam. [Illegitimate];
Vangueria edulis Vahl;
Vangueria floribunda Robyns;
Vangueria macrophylla Wall.;
Vangueria robynsii Tennant;
Vavanga chinensis Rohr.;
Vavanga edulis Vahl;

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