Common Name:

General Information

Grewia tenax is a very slow-growing, deciduous, thorny shrub growing from 0.5 - 6 metres tall[].
The plant is harvested from the wild for local use as a food, medicine and source of materials.
Grewia tenax has a very wide distribution, large population, is not currently experiencing any major
threats and no significant future threats have been identified. The plant is classified as 'Least Concern' in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species(2018)[].

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

,

Range

Drier areas of Africa, through Arabia, Afghanistan, Iran, Pakistan, India and Sri Lanka.

Habitat

Acacia-Terminalia-Combretum woodland; between lava rocks; sandy soils; depressions in clayey-sandy soils and on laterite; humid soils during rain-season; sand on sandstone plateau; gravelly plateau and silt; gully in hills; sea level to 1,800 metres[].

Properties

Conservation Status	Least Concern
Edibility Rating
Medicinal Rating
Other Uses Rating
Habit	Deciduous Shrub
Height	4.00 m
Growth Rate	Slow
Pollinators	Bees, Insects
Cultivation Status	Wild

Cultivation Details

A plant of drier tropical and subtropical areas, where it can be found at elevations up to 1,500 metres. It can survive in areas where the mean annual rainfall is less than 200mm, but also does well with 1,000mm of rain[, ].
Found wild on very dry sites that can be rocky, sandy or clay[]. Established plants are very drought resistant[].
Generally a very slow-growing plant[], though young plants have been recorded to sometimes reach a height of up to 1.5 metres within 8 months[].

Edible Uses

Fruit[, ]. The orange-red, acid-flavoured fruits have a flavour somewhat like hazel nuts (Corylus spp.)[]. They can be eaten fresh or dried for later use[]. The fruits are added to the dough when making 'medida', a thin, fermented porridge made from various grains[]. The fruits contain a large amount of iron and can be made into a refreshing drink[].

Medicinal

Grewia species are valued in many cultures for their medicinal virtues. The main medicinal action appears to come from the mucilage that is found in the leaves, stems and roots, which has been shown to have soothing and healing properties. Taken internally it is often used as a remedy for diarrhoea and dysentery, for example, whilst externally it is applied to wounds, cuts, ulcers, irritations etc. The plant can be taken as a simple infusion or decoction, or it can be applied topically as a poultice of the plant, or the mucilage can be extracted from the plant, if required, by maceration and then decoction.

The roots are used to make a poultice and are used for curing various skin diseases[].

A mucilage obtained from the bark is reported to possess bactericidal activity and is used in the treatment of tuberculosis[].
The mucilaginous bark preparation is used by women as a treatment against hair vermin[].

The plant (parts not specified) is used as a remedy for colds and chest complaints and is also a chief constituent in
a typhoid remedy[]

A decoction of the wood is given in the treatment of coughs and pains[].

A ethanolic extract of the aerial parts was found to exhibit CNS depressant activity[]

Agroforestry Uses:

The shrub can be used for hedging[].
The plant has an aggressive root system, which holds fast to the soil protecting it from water and wind erosion; whilst its leaf litter improves soil physical and chemical properties. Combined with its sturdy growth habit, it seems to have promise as a dune fixing plant in desert reclamation projects[].
Intercropping with this plant may not affect crop growth adversely[].

Other Uses

The bark is used to make ropes and for binding work in hut construction[, ].

The heartwood is brown, the sapwood yellow. The wood is extremely hard, close-grained and termite-resistant. It is used for walking sticks, implement handles, spear and harpoon-shafts, canoes etc[, , , , ].
The wood is used as a fuel and for making charcoal[].

Propagation

Seed - germination is reportedly difficult in this species. However, germination percentages of over 75% have been achieved by pretreating the seed by repeated washing and scrubbing until all the flesh is removed. Germination then occurs after 10 days[].

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Captcha: if i have 3 bananas, and i eat them all, how many bananas did i just eat?