Common Name: Water Berry

General Information

Water berry is an evergreen plant that varies widely in habit, from a small shrub only 30cm tall up to a large forest tree with a dense, heavy, rounded crown; it can grow 30 metres or more tall[, ]. The bole is seldom of good shape, it can be branchless for up to 15 metres in large trees, up to 150cm in diameter and sometimes has buttresses up to 1.8 metres tall[]. The tree is found in a wide range of habitats, indeed it occupies the widest range of habitats of any African plant[].
The plant is harvested from the wild as a local source of food, medicines and wood. The fruits are sold in local markets and the wood is also traded locally[]. A handsome tree, it is often grown in gardens within its native range in order to provide shade[].

Known Hazards

The poisonous bark has been reported to cause human deaths[].

Botanical References

Range

Tropical Africa - Senegal to Somalia, south to Namibia, Zimbabwe and South Africa; Arabian Peninsular - Yemen and Saudi Arabia.

Habitat

Found in a very wide variety of habitats and elevations including sea shores, savannah, river banks and forests of various types at elevations from sea level to 2,100 metres[, , ]. Usually found in moist conditions, sometimes even in water[].

Properties

Edibility Rating
Medicinal Rating
Other Uses Rating
Habit	Evergreen Tree
Height	10.00 m
Pollinators	Bees, Insects
Cultivation Status	Ornamental, Wild

Cultivation Details

A plant of the tropics, where it is found at elevations up to 2,100 metres. It grows best in areas where annual daytime temperatures are within the range 15 - 30°c, but can tolerate 10 - 38°c[]. It prefers a mean annual rainfall in the range 1,000 - 2,300mm, but tolerates 800 - 3,000mm[].
Grows best in a sunny position[]. Prefers a moist but well-drained soil with a high water table[, ]. Prefers a pH in the range 5.5 - 7, tolerating 5 - 7.5[].
Trees usually bear considerable quantities of fruit[].
Trees respond well to coppicing and pollarding[, ].
Although this plant can vary widely in habit, it varies little in leaf and flower shape[].

Edible Uses

Fruit - raw, cooked or made into a beverage or a vinegar[, ]. Juicy, with a sweet flavour, it is eaten as a wayside nibble[, ]. Although sweet, it is also rather bland[]. It needs to be fully ripe[]. The fruit is very perishable and needs to be eaten soon after harvesting[]. The fruit is 10 - 15mm long[].

Medicinal

The plant is widely used in traditional medicine in Africa, but some caution should be observed as the bark may be poisonous, and death after its use has been recorded[, ]. Various studies have been carried out into the medicinal activities of the plant.
Extracts of the stem bark, leaves and seeds have shown antibacterial and antifungal activity[].
Methanol extracts of the stem bark have shown molluscicidal activity[].
Triterpenes with antibacterial activity have been isolated from a methanol leaf extract; the most active of these being arjunolic acid and asiatic acid. They have demonstrated activity against Escherichia coli, Bacillus subtilis and Shigella sonnei[].

The roots are anthelmintic purgative and tonic[, ]. A decoction is used as a remedy for stomach ache and intestinal worms[].
The root is soaked in water and then used for drinking and bathing in to treat epilepsy[].

The bark is anthelmintic, antispasmodic, laxative, purgative and tonic[, ]. A decoction or infusion is used as a remedy for stomach ache, diarrhoea, malaria, intestinal worms, coughs, asthma, throat problems and intercostal pain[, ].
Twig bark preparations are applied against paralysis[].
The bark is applied externally to treat broken bones and wounds[].

The fruits are used as a remedy for dysentery[, ].

A decoction of the twigs and leaves is drunk or used as an enema for its purgative properties and against colic, diarrhoea and abdominal pain. It is also used as drink or bath against insanity, amenorrhoea and cerebral malaria[].

Leaf decoctions are used as a treatment for intestinal parasites, stomach-ache, insanity and possession[]. They are used as a tonic for pregnant women[].
A leaf decoction is used as an enema as a remedy for diarrhoea[].
The crushed leaf is applied as a poultice on wounds and boils[]. A decoction of the leaves is used as an embrocation to bathe and then massage into areas of sprain[]. A liquid of chewed leaves mixed with water is used as eye drops to treat ophthalmia.[].

Agroforestry Uses:

The tree is used to provide shade in coffee plantations in Ethiopia[].
The presence of the tree in the wild is considered to be a fairly good indication that the groundwater table is near the surface[].
The flowers are a good source of nectar for bees[].

Other Uses

The bark is a source of tannins. It can be used as a dye[]. Bark extracts are sometimes used to harden lateritic floors or to glaze pottery[].
A purple dye is obtained from the fruit[].

The heartwood is greyish red, brown or pink; it is not clearly demarcated from the 3 - 4cm wide sapwood. The grain is straight; texture fine to medium; growth rings are distinct. The wood is moderately heavy, strong, and probably non-durable, though reports on this vary[]. The wood saws easily, but sawdust tends to adhere to the blades when the wood is fresh; it works easily with machine and hand tools, but is liable to splitting; it planes easily; pre-boring is necessary for nailing; nail-holding properties are good[]. It is used for construction, railway ties, flooring, panelling, furniture, utensils, tool handles, plates, stools, carvings and poles299, ]. It is also suitable for vehicle bodies, interior trim, joinery, toys, novelties, boxes, crates, mine props, veneer, plywood, hardboard and particle board[]. Its flexibility makes it suitable for bows and ribs of canoes[]. Traditionally, the bole is made into dugout canoes.
A good fuel wood, it is also used for making charcoal[, ].

Propagation

Seed - it has a very short viability and so is best sown as soon as it is ripe[, ].

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