Antidesma venosum

Antidesma venosum (E.Mey.) Tul.

Common names

Tassel berry (English); chibenda, mulambabwato, itompo, musambamfwa, mwavi (Bemba); mutantanyelele, mbwibwi (Kunda); kambalame, mapirakukutu, mdundira, mdyakamba, mdyapumbwa, mpikamaundu, mpondesa, mpotogola, mpululu, mpungulira, msanganya, msera, napose, kasyikampombo, mkolo, msinika, msunduzi (Nyanja).

General description and distinguishing characteristics

A small, deciduous shrub or tree up to 5m tall. Bark grey to grey-brown, usually smooth but can be flaky. Leaves simple, alternate, 2-12 x 1-6 cm, elliptic to oblong with a distinct ‘drip tip’. Leaf texture is leathery, the upper surface of the leaf glossy mid- to dark green, the lower surface paler green and densely hairy. Leaf margins are entire. Petiole up to 10 mm long, grooved. Flowers small, yellow (male trees) or reddish (female trees), produced in spikes up to 8 cm long (Oct-January). Fruit small, fleshy ellipsoid berries (8 x 4 mm) turning from white to red to black; produced in spikes up to 12 cm long (March-May).

Antidesma venosum can be confused with Antidesma vogelianum, which is found at higher altitudes along streams on the Muchinga escarpment. The major difference, apart from habitat, is that A. vogelianum has thinly textured, hairless leaves.

Range and habitat

Antidesma venosum is found throughout the Zambezian region in Zambia, Malawi, Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Botswana, Caprivi and South Africa. In the valley, it is found in riverine fringe woodland and thicket, and on the levees and sand deposits of major rivers. It is also found in mopane woodland on sand.