Tamarindus indica

Tamarindus indica L.

Common names

Tamarind (English); mushishi (Bemba); bwembe, mwembe (Bemba/Kunda); muwembi, mwembi (Kunda/Nyanja/Tumbuka); mbwemba, mwemba (Nyanja); mukwadju (Tumbuka).

General description and distinguishing characteristics

Tamarindus indica is a semi-evergreen tree with a spreading crown up to 25 m tall. It is often found on termite mounds, and is most easily recognised by its curved, sausage-like fruits, which are constricted between the seeds. Bark light grey or brown, rough and scaly. Exudes a red gum from wounds. Leaves compound, paripinnate, up to 15 cm long, with 9-21 pairs of leaflets. Leaflets oblong, 10-30 x 3-10 mm, petiole and rachis finely hairy. Leaflets grey-green in colour, largely hairless and with prominent net veining. Flowers pale yellow with a pinkish tinge, 2.5 cm in diameter, appearing with the new leaves and produced in spike-like racemes up to 5 cm long (October-January). Fruit a small, golden brown, curved, indehiscent, sausage-shaped pod, constricted between the seeds, and usually 10-15 cm long. The fruit contains up to 10 glossy brown seeds embedded in a sticky, sweet-sour edible pulp (fruits mature July-November).

Range and habitat

Tamarindus indica occurs throughout the tropics but is probably native to Africa and Madagascar. In the Valley, it is found in riverine fringe woodland, mopane woodland and thicket. One of the typical trees of the Luangwa Valley, the tamarind is common and widespread particularly along the Luangwa River. In the Valley most tamarinds grow on large termite mounds where the soil is especially rich in nutrients; these trees are very seldom found growing on level ground.