Common Name:

General Information

Sterculia mhosya is a deciduous shrub or small tree with large leaves; it can grow up to 10 metres tall[, , ].
The tree is harvested from the wild for its edible seed, which is eaten locally. It also provides medicine and various commodities.
Sterculia mhosya has no specific threats. The plant is classified as 'Least Concern' in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species(2013)[].

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

,

Range

East tropical Africa - Tanzania, Zambia.

Habitat

Scattered along the rocky areas of the Lake Tanganyika shore and in other stony soils[]. Found in a wide range of habitats, especially dry bushland and woodland, often on rocky hillsides[, ].

Properties

Conservation Status	Least Concern
Edibility Rating
Medicinal Rating
Other Uses Rating
Habit	Deciduous Tree
Height	5.00 m
Cultivation Status	Wild

Cultivation Details

Not known

Edible Uses

Seed - cooked[]. They can be roasted and eaten whole like peanuts, or roasted, pounded and then cooked with vegetables such as peas or pumpkins[, ]. The seeds are up to 15mm long and 7mm wide[].

Medicinal

A decoction of the bark is used as a treatment against indigestion[].

Other Uses

A fibre obtained from the bark is used for making string and rope[, ]. The bark is commonly used as amulet string, on the wrist in children as a protection against disease[].

The leaves are used a as toilet paper for children[].

The tree is used for making canoes, although plants of sufficient size are hard to obtain[].

Propagation

A physical dormancy caused by the hard seed coat of the mature seeds of many species in this genus can be overcome by scarifying the seed. This is carried out by cutting away or abrading some of the seed coat to allow the ingress of water, though great care must be taken not to damage the embryo[]. The aril surrounding the seed should also be removed - this is easiest when it has been softened through soaking in water[]. The seeds germinate optimally at temperatures between 20 - 30°c. They can be sown in a nursery seedbed or in containers. A germination rate of about 95%, occurring within about 2 weeks can be expected if the seed has been properly treated[].

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