Common Name:

General Information

Grewia trichocarpa is an evergreen shrub or a small, spreading tree growing 1.5 - 6 metres tall[, ].
The tree is harvested from the wild as a local source of food, medicine, fibre and wood.

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

Range

East tropical Africa - Eritrea, Ethiopia, Somalia, Uganda, Kenya, Rwanda, Burundi, Tanzania; to the Arabian Peninsula.

Habitat

Wooded grasslands and in Acacia tortilis woodlands at low to medium elevations[]. Sandy or rocky soils, in wooded grassland, bushland, dry forest and riverine forest at elevations from 900 - 2,150 metres[].

Properties

Edibility Rating
Medicinal Rating
Other Uses Rating
Habit	Evergreen Shrub
Height	3.00 m
Cultivation Status	Wild

Cultivation Details

A plant of the drier tropics, where it is found at low to medium elevations. In Tanzania it is found in areas where the mean annual rainfall is in the range 900 - 1,400mm[].
Thrives in a variety of soil types[].
In some areas, such as Kenya, the plant flowers all year round[].

Edible Uses

Fruit - raw[]. A sweet flavour, they are eaten as a snack, especially by children[]. The orange berries are 5 - 7mm in diameter[].

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.

A root decoction is drunk to expel worms and as a treatment against diarrhoea[].
A watery extract of the root, combined with that of Grewia tenax, is rubbed in to treat skin tuberculosis and other skin ailments[].

The leaf sap is drunk to treat coughs, colds, abscesses and anaemia[].
A decoction of the leaf is drunk to expel the placenta, and is used as an enema against intestinal parasites[].
A leaf dressing is applied against furuncles[].

Agroforestry Uses:

The tree is important as a source of bee forage[].

Other Uses

The fibre from the bark is used for tying when making huts etc. It is also used in basketry[].

The pounded bark is used for soap-making[].

The wood is used for building poles, floors of granaries, tool handles, walking sticks, bows, spear- and arrow-shafts, and withies[, ].
The wood is used for fuel[].

Propagation

Seed - we have no specific information for this species but seed of this genus is generally best sown as soon as it is ripe. Stored seed has a hard seedcoat and may benefit from scarification before sowing in order to speed up and improve germination. This can usually be done by pouring a small amount of nearly boiling water on the seeds (being careful not to cook them!), allowing the mix to cool somewhat and then leaving it in a warm place to soak for 12 - 24 hours. Sow the seeds in situ or in a nursery seedbed or trays - do not allow the compost to become dry. Germination and early growth are usually quite quick.
Cuttings - best taken with a heel.

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