Vitex ferruginea
Schumach. & Thonn.
Lamiaceae
Vitex amboniensis Gürke
Vitex dryadum S.Moore
Vitex fosteri C.H.Wright
Vitex guerkeana H.Pearson
Vitex guerkeana Hiern
Vitex laevigata Baker
Vitex oxycuspis mossambicensis Moldenke
Vitex pearsonii W.Piep.
Vitex polyantha Baker
Vitex rufescens Gürke
Vitex swynnertonii S.Moore
Vitex tangensis Gürke
Common Name: Plum Fingerleaf
General Information
Vitex ferruginea is a shrub or small tree growing up to 15 metres tall[
]. The plant sometimes adopts a climbing habit and is often deciduous[
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.
].
The tree is harvested from the wild for its edible fruit, wood and medicine, which are used locally.
Vitex ferruginea 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(2020)[
338- Title
- IUCN Red List of Threatened Species
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Website
- http://www.iucnredlist.org/
- Publisher
-
- Year
- 0
- ISBN
-
- Description
- A list of plants under threat and facing possible extinction, usually with brief details of the threats and information on habitat.
].
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 - scattered in drier areas from Sierra Leone to Kenya and southern Somalia, then south through Tanzania to most of southern Africa.
Habitat
Riverine vegetation, semi-evergreen forest, mixed deciduous woodlands, mutemwa thickets on Kalahari Sand and coastal forest, in sandy soils and coastal dunes at elevations from sea level to 610 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
| Conservation Status | Least Concern |
| Edibility Rating |  |
| Medicinal Rating |  |
| Other Uses Rating |  |
| Habit | Semi-deciduous Tree |
| Height | 12.00 m |
| Cultivation Status | Wild |
Cultivation Details
Not known
Edible Uses
Fruit - raw or cooked[
]. A sweet tasting flesh[
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 black, globose fruit is 14 - 40mm in diameter[
].
Medicinal
The leaves are chewed to treat sore and swollen throats[
,
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.
].
Other Uses
The wood is used to make 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 firewood and to make charcoal[
,
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 -
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Useful Tropical Plants Database 2014 by
Ken Fern,
web interface by
Ajna Fern
with help from
Richard Morris.
