Vitex payos
(Lour.) Merr.
Lamiaceae
Allasia payos Lour.
Vitex allasia Planch.
Vitex eylesii S.Moore
Vitex hildebrandtii Vatke
Vitex iringensis Gürke
Vitex isotjensis Gibbs
Vitex shirensis Baker
Vitex villosa Sim
Vitex zambesiaca Baker
Common Name: Chocolate Berry
General Information
Vitex payos is a shrub or small tree with a rounded crown; it can grow 4 - 10 metres tall[
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.
].
These fruits, the 'real' chocolate berries of Africa, are a very popular food in parts of southern and eastern Africa, where local people collect them in quantity for their own use and also to sell in local markets[
323- Title
- Lost Crops of Africa. Vol. 3 Fruits.
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Publisher
- National Academy Press
- Year
- 2008
- ISBN
- 030910596X
- Description
- Masses of information on about 70 species of plants that have been utilized as fruits in Africa.
,
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.
]. The low-growing tree is attractive enough to have promise purely as an ornamental, especially when in full flower[
323- Title
- Lost Crops of Africa. Vol. 3 Fruits.
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Publisher
- National Academy Press
- Year
- 2008
- ISBN
- 030910596X
- Description
- Masses of information on about 70 species of plants that have been utilized as fruits in Africa.
].
Known Hazards
None known
Botanical References
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.
Range
Tropical Africa - DR Congo, Kenya, Tanzania, Angola, Zambia, Malawi, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Mozambique.
Habitat
Open woodland, wooded grassland and on rocky outcrops at elevations from 50 - 1,500 metres[
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 |  |
| Medicinal Rating |  |
| Other Uses Rating |  |
| Habit | Tree |
| Height | 8.00 m |
| Pollinators | Bees |
| Cultivation Status | Ornamental, Wild |
Cultivation Details
Vitex payos is a species of the tropics, growing in hot, low and semi-arid places with a high water table. In more arid zones it is found near rock outcrops. It grows in areas where the mean annual rainfall is within the range 650 - 850 metres[
303- Title
- World Agroforesty Centre
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Website
- http://www.worldagroforestry.org/
- Publisher
-
- Year
- 0
- ISBN
-
- Description
- An excellent online database of a huge range of trees giving very good information on each plant - its uses, ecology, identity, propagation, pests etc.
].
The tree coppices well[
303- Title
- World Agroforesty Centre
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Website
- http://www.worldagroforestry.org/
- Publisher
-
- Year
- 0
- ISBN
-
- Description
- An excellent online database of a huge range of trees giving very good information on each plant - its uses, ecology, identity, propagation, pests etc.
].
Edible Uses
Fruit - raw or cooked[
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.
,
323- Title
- Lost Crops of Africa. Vol. 3 Fruits.
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Publisher
- National Academy Press
- Year
- 2008
- ISBN
- 030910596X
- Description
- Masses of information on about 70 species of plants that have been utilized as fruits in Africa.
]. Sweet, with a mealy texture[
303- Title
- World Agroforesty Centre
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Website
- http://www.worldagroforestry.org/
- Publisher
-
- Year
- 0
- ISBN
-
- Description
- An excellent online database of a huge range of trees giving very good information on each plant - its uses, ecology, identity, propagation, pests etc.
]. It can be made into jam[
323- Title
- Lost Crops of Africa. Vol. 3 Fruits.
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Publisher
- National Academy Press
- Year
- 2008
- ISBN
- 030910596X
- Description
- Masses of information on about 70 species of plants that have been utilized as fruits in Africa.
]. Each fruit is about 2 cm long, with pointed tips and a chocolate brown or black skin. The juicy pulp surrounds a single hard stone. A very popular fruit in parts of Africa, it is definitely an acquired taste for people who have not eaten it previously. Westerners are typically offended by the flavour, the powdery texture, the oily feel in the mouth, and the strong smell323]. The fruits have a rather unpleasant smell, and leave a temporary black stain on the teeth, but they are much eaten by children and herdsmen[
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.
].
Medicinal
A decoction of the root is used as a remedy for stomach problems[
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.
].
The pounded bark is used to treat threadworm and skin problems[
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.
].
The leaves are boiled and the liquid drunk by patients who have lost their appetite[
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.
].
Agroforestry Uses:
The leaf fall of the tree acts as a mulch to improve soil condition[
303- Title
- World Agroforesty Centre
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Website
- http://www.worldagroforestry.org/
- Publisher
-
- Year
- 0
- ISBN
-
- Description
- An excellent online database of a huge range of trees giving very good information on each plant - its uses, ecology, identity, propagation, pests etc.
].
Other Uses
The wood is very hard. It is used for poles and spoons[
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.
].
The wood is used for fuel[
303- Title
- World Agroforesty Centre
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Website
- http://www.worldagroforestry.org/
- Publisher
-
- Year
- 0
- ISBN
-
- Description
- An excellent online database of a huge range of trees giving very good information on each plant - its uses, ecology, identity, propagation, pests etc.
,
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.
].
Propagation
Seed - it has a hard seed coat which hinders germination[
303- Title
- World Agroforesty Centre
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Website
- http://www.worldagroforestry.org/
- Publisher
-
- Year
- 0
- ISBN
-
- Description
- An excellent online database of a huge range of trees giving very good information on each plant - its uses, ecology, identity, propagation, pests etc.
]. In the wild the seedcoat is broken by annual fires[
303- Title
- World Agroforesty Centre
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Website
- http://www.worldagroforestry.org/
- Publisher
-
- Year
- 0
- ISBN
-
- Description
- An excellent online database of a huge range of trees giving very good information on each plant - its uses, ecology, identity, propagation, pests etc.
].
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Useful Tropical Plants Database 2014 by
Ken Fern,
web interface by
Ajna Fern
with help from
Richard Morris.
