Common Name:

General Information

Carpodiptera africana is a shrub or tree, usually growing from 1 - 13.5 metres tall but sometimes growing up to 20 metres[, ].
The plant is sometimes harvested from the wild for local use as a food, medicine and source of wood.

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

,

Range

East tropical Africa - Kenya, Tanzania, Mozambique, S. Africa.

Habitat

Coastal areas, in open wooded grassland; dry forest and forest edges; dense bushland where it is a colonizer; also on coral limestone, in sandy soils and fringing swamp forest; from sea level to 100 metres[]. To 550 metres, occasionally 900 metres[]

Properties

Edibility Rating
Medicinal Rating
Other Uses Rating
Habit	Shrub
Height	3.00 m
Self-fertile	No
Cultivation Status	Wild

Cultivation Details

The tree coppices well[].
The flowers are usually dioecious. Both male and female forms of the plant need to be grown if seed is required[].

Edible Uses

Leaves - cooked and used as a vegetable[]. The tender leaves are collected, cut into pieces, washed and cooked alone or mixed with other vegetables such as peas, coconut milk added and then served with ugali or rice[]. Used mainly in times of shortage[].

Medicinal

An infusion of the roots and stem bark is drunk to treat eye problems and used as a face and eye wash[].
A root decoction is taken as an aphrodisiac[].

Other Uses

A fibre is obtained from the bark[].

The wood bends easily[]. It is used in construction and for poles, bows, tool handles and spoons[, ].
The wood is used for fuel[].

Propagation

Seed -

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