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Useful Tropical Plants

Carissa bispinosa

(L.) Desf. ex Brenan

Apocynaceae

+ Synonyms

Arduina acuminata E.Mey.

Arduina bispinosa L.

Arduina erythrocarpa Eckl.

Arduina ferox E.Mey.

Arduina haematocarpa Eckl.

Arduina megaphylla Gand.

Carandas arduina S.Moore

Carissa acuminata (E.Mey.) A.DC.

Carissa arduina Lam.

Carissa arduina Stapf

Carissa cordata (Mill.) Fourc.

Carissa cordata Dinter

Carissa dinteri Markgr.

Carissa erythrocarpa (Eckl.) A.DC.

Carissa ferox (E.Mey.) A.DC.

Carissa haematocarpa (Eckl.) A.DC.

Carissa megaphylla Gand.

Carissa myrtoides Desf.

Carissa sessiliflora Brongn. ex Pichon

Carissa wyliei N.E.Br.

Jasminonerium acuminatum (E.Mey.) Kuntze

Jasminonerium bispinosum (L.) Kuntze

Jasminonerium erythrocarpum (Eckl.) Kuntze

Lycium cordatum Mill.

Common Name: Hedge Thorn

Carissa bispinosa
Flowering stem
Photograph by: Bart Wursten
Creative Commons License
Carissa bispinosa Carissa bispinosa Carissa bispinosa

General Information

Hedge thorn is a prickly, evergreen shrub or small tree with fragrant flowers, growing to a height of 8 metres[
398
Title
Edible Wild Plants of Tanzania
Publication
 
Author
Ruffo, C.K.: Birnie, A. & Tengnas, B.
Publisher
Regional Land Management Unit; Nairobi.
Year
2002
ISBN
9966-896-60-0
Description
A very well presented, simple guide to growing and utilizing wild food plants in Tanzania, with line drawings of each plant, a description, habitat and range, non-food as well as food uses, plus basic information on growing the plants.
,
455
Title
Flore de Madagascar et des Comores
Publication
 
Author
Humbert H.
Website
http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/
Publisher
Museum National D'Histoire Naturelle; Paris
Year
1946 - 1984
ISBN
 
Description
Written in French, an excellent flora of the area though it has not been completed. Available for download from the Internet.
].
The edible fruit is sometimes gathered from the wild by local people, whilst the plant is frequently cultivated as a spiny hedge[
46
Title
Dictionary of Economic Plants.
Publication
 
Author
Uphof. J. C. Th.
Publisher
Weinheim
Year
1959
ISBN
-
Description
An excellent and very comprehensive guide but it only gives very short descriptions of the uses without any details of how to utilize the plants. Not for the casual reader.
,
200
Title
The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992.
Publication
 
Author
Huxley. A.
Publisher
MacMillan Press
Year
1992
ISBN
0-333-47494-5
Description
Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.
].

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

200
Title
The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992.
Publication
 
Author
Huxley. A.
Publisher
MacMillan Press
Year
1992
ISBN
0-333-47494-5
Description
Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.

Range

Africa - Uganda, Kenya, Tanzania, Mozambique, Malawi, Zimbabwe, Namibia, Botswana, Swaziland, S. Africa, Madagascar.

Habitat

On termite mounds in Brachystegia woodland, in woodland fringes, and on maritime dunes[
308
Title
Flora Zambesiaca
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://apps.kew.org/efloras/fz/intro.html
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
An excellent online flora of plants from the Zambezi River basin. It lists a number of the plant uses as well as the habitats and botanical descriptions of the plants.
].

Properties

Edibility Rating *  *
Other Uses Rating *  *  *
HabitEvergreen Shrub
Height3.00 m
Cultivation StatusCultivated, Wild

Cultivation Details

Can be grown in tropical and subtropical areas[
200
Title
The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992.
Publication
 
Author
Huxley. A.
Publisher
MacMillan Press
Year
1992
ISBN
0-333-47494-5
Description
Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.
].
Prefers a well-drained but moisture-retentive, fertile soil and a position in full sun or light shade[
200
Title
The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992.
Publication
 
Author
Huxley. A.
Publisher
MacMillan Press
Year
1992
ISBN
0-333-47494-5
Description
Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.
].

Edible Uses

Fruit - raw[
301
Title
Cornucopia II
Publication
 
Author
Facciola. S.
Publisher
Kampong Publications, California.
Year
1998
ISBN
0-9628087-2-5
Description
The second edition of an excellent guide to the edible uses of plants, though it does not give any details of cultivation etc.
]. About the size of a cherry, containing few seeds[
46
Title
Dictionary of Economic Plants.
Publication
 
Author
Uphof. J. C. Th.
Publisher
Weinheim
Year
1959
ISBN
-
Description
An excellent and very comprehensive guide but it only gives very short descriptions of the uses without any details of how to utilize the plants. Not for the casual reader.
,
301
Title
Cornucopia II
Publication
 
Author
Facciola. S.
Publisher
Kampong Publications, California.
Year
1998
ISBN
0-9628087-2-5
Description
The second edition of an excellent guide to the edible uses of plants, though it does not give any details of cultivation etc.
]. The ellipsoid fruit is up to 30mm wide, it turns purple-black when ripe[
200
Title
The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992.
Publication
 
Author
Huxley. A.
Publisher
MacMillan Press
Year
1992
ISBN
0-333-47494-5
Description
Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.
,
455
Title
Flore de Madagascar et des Comores
Publication
 
Author
Humbert H.
Website
http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/
Publisher
Museum National D'Histoire Naturelle; Paris
Year
1946 - 1984
ISBN
 
Description
Written in French, an excellent flora of the area though it has not been completed. Available for download from the Internet.
].

Medicinal

None known

Agroforestry Uses:

Very amenable to trimming, the plant is often grown as a hedge[
200
Title
The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992.
Publication
 
Author
Huxley. A.
Publisher
MacMillan Press
Year
1992
ISBN
0-333-47494-5
Description
Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.
].

Other Uses

None known

Propagation

Seed - best sown fresh, but can also be stored for a while[
200
Title
The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992.
Publication
 
Author
Huxley. A.
Publisher
MacMillan Press
Year
1992
ISBN
0-333-47494-5
Description
Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.
].
Half-ripe cuttings with a heel[
200
Title
The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992.
Publication
 
Author
Huxley. A.
Publisher
MacMillan Press
Year
1992
ISBN
0-333-47494-5
Description
Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.
].
Cite as: Tropical Plants Database, Ken Fern. tropical.theferns.info. 2024-03-28. <tropical.theferns.info/viewtropical.php?id=Carissa+bispinosa>

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