Common Name:

General Information

Cordia sinensis is a compact, densely growing shrub, usually reaching a height of up to 4 metres, though it sometimes becomes a bushy tree up to 12 metres[, ].
The plant is commonly utilised locally as a food, medicine and source of various materials[]. It is occasionally cultivated in Africa for its fruit which is mainly consumed by the Asian community there[, ]. The plant is also grown as an ornamental, valued especially for its sweetly-scented flowers[].
Cordia sinensis is a fast-growing shrub or small tree with a widespread distribution extending from Africa to India. It has a variety of uses but these are not thought to impact significantly on the species at a global scale. No specific threats are known and the plant is classified as 'Least Concern' in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species(2020)[].

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

,

Range

Drier parts of tropical Africa, through the Arabian Peninsula, eastern Mediterranean to India and Sri Lanka.

Habitat

In grasslands, open deciduous woodlands and riverbanks, usually on sandy or rocky soils or on termitaries, at elevations up to 100 metres[]. It prefers moist river beds but is also found on termite mounds and in littoral scrub[]

Properties

Conservation Status	Least Concern
Edibility Rating
Medicinal Rating
Other Uses Rating
Habit	Shrub
Height	4.00 m
Cultivation Status	Cultivated, Ornamental, Wild

Cultivation Details

A plant of the arid and semi-arid tropics, where it is found at elevations up to 1,500 metres[, ]. It grows in Tanzania in areas with a mean annual rainfall in the range 600 - 1,000mm[].
Prefers a moist, but well-drained soil and a position in full sun[].Succeeds in stony and saline soils[]. Plants can withstand periodic inundation of the soil, even if this is prolonged[].
A fairly fast-growing tree[].
Plants respond well to coppicing and pollarding[].

Edible Uses

Fruit - raw or cooked[]. A gelatinous, very sticky pulp with a sweet flavour but a slightly astringent, drying, after-taste[, ]. Eaten as a snack, especially by children, it is also added to porridges instead of sugar and is pickled[, , ]. The orange-red, ovoid fruit is up to 2cm long, containing 1 - 4 tiny seeds[].

Gum[]. A clear gum obtained from the bark is eaten[].

Medicinal

The roots are used to induce abortion[]. About 3 pieces of root the size of a finger when chewed are said to be sufficient for this[].
A decoction of the root and bark is used to treat stomach disorders[, ]. Roots are boiled and the decoction used for the treatment of malaria[].

The bark is astringent and is used to prepare a gargle[].

The leaves are used alone or in mixture with other medicinal plants as a treatment against fever[].

Other Uses

A fibre obtained from the inner bark is used for making ropes, caulking boats etc[, , , ]. Very strong[].
The bark is used for covering local huts[].

A gum obtained from the damaged bark is used to adulterate gum arabic (obtained from Acacia senegal and other spp)[, , ].

The heart-wood is brown and slightly scented; the sapwood is yellowish[, ]. The wood is hard[]. A good quality wood[], it is used as a substitute for sandalwood in Sudan, and is used generally for roofing, construction of local houses, tool handles, walking sticks, arrow shafts, clubs etc[, , ]. Larger pieces are hollowed out to make pots[].
The wood is used for fuel[, ].

Propagation

Seed - very slow to germinate, the process can be sped up if the seed is scarified by lightly abrading the seedcoat to allow easier ingress of water[]. Germination rates of up to 80% can be achieved[].

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