Scientific
name
Grewia bicolor1
Family name
Tiliaceae
Local name(s)
Kocheta (Konsogna), Sefa, Tomaye,
Teye (Amargna), Haroresa (Oromiffa), Debhi (Somali)
General description
The plant is a shrubby tree of 2 -
10m heights, which produces branches from the base of the main trunk. The
bark is smooth when young and dotted with breathing pores. The bark becomes
dark, rough and scale with age. The leaves are oval to oblong, pointed,
1 - 8cm, the edge finely toothed, shiny green above but pale gray-white
below. Leaves are dropping in heat. Flowers are golden yellow with a sweet
smelling and small petals bent back over larger sepals. There are 2-lobed
or unlobed, rounded, soft, orange then black, 5mm fruits that are hairy
when unripe.
Edible part(s),
preparation methods and palatability
Fruits are edible.The
pulp is sucked off the seeds and then the seeds are discarded. They are
sweet but sharp on the tongue and are being consumed in normal times by
children and herdsmen. During food shortage the fruit is collected purposively
and consumed by everyone.
Agroecology
This
shrubby tree is widely spread in Africa and occurs in almost all the regions
of Ethiopia in Acacia woodlands, grassland and along rivers and
streams on sandy soils and exposed rocky ground. Grows well in moist and
wet mid- and lowlands between 800 – 1,800m.
Propagation
method(s)
Seeds and seedlings
Sample location(s)
Jarso Kebele, Konso
Remarks
Other
uses of G. bicolor are for sticks, bows and stirrers. As the wood
is quite tough it is used to make knives, spears, clubs, bows, arrows,
walking and fighting sticks and for construction. The bark can be used
for string and ropes. The leaves are used as an animal fodder.
1 Parts of the following
description have been taken from Bekele-Tesemma et al., 1993: p. 262/263 and
Maundu et al., 1999: p. 137
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