Syzygium cordatum
Myrtaceae
Indigenous
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Remarks:
Eng: water-berry tree; Fipa: msu; Gogo: muhulo, muhuu;
Ha: msivia; Haya: mugege; Hehe: muvengi; Iraqw.
orokutuno; Kinga: imivengi; Nyak: mpegele; Mate:
mnyonyo, orokutuno; Nguu: msungunde; Pare: mlama;
Samb: mshiwi; Zara: mtalala mweupe, mzati;
Zinza: mzeze.
A tree found beside fresh water in East and Central Africa
and south to Natal. Occurs at medium to higher altitudes,
always near water, along water courses, in riverine thickets
and forests.
Timber (construction, furniture), food (fruit), drink
(fermented fruit), bee forage, medicine (leaves, bark, roots).
dye (bark).
A medium-sized evergreen tree 8-15 m high, sometimes a
flowering shrub, the crown compact and rounded from a
short thick trunk, sometimes buttressed. BARK: dark
brown, rough and fissured, breaking into small squares;
branchlets square, edges winged. LEAVES: very many near
the ends or branches, clasping the stem in opposite pairs,
the next leaf pair at right angles, leathery, blue-green.
oblong to circular to 8 cm, leaf base heart shaped
{cordatum). FLOWERS: dense, branched clusters to 10 cm
across, pink-white with conspicuous stamens, abundai
nectar. FRUIT: fleshy oval to 1.5 cm long, purple when
ripe, edible but acid, 1 seed.
Seedlings, wildings.
No. of seeds per kg: 400-450. Germination is very good and
uniform, 90% after 25 days.
not necessary.
can retain viability only for a day. The seed should not be
dried in the sun.
Fairly fast growing.
The wood is medium hard and heavy and works well but
should be water seasoned.
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