Common names
Rough fruit bush cherry (English); kanganchu, mzakomo, namgoneka, mwangalinguli (Nyanja); kasyoloti (Tumbuka).
General description and distinguishing characteristics
Maerua juncea is a small shrub or climber. It is most easily recognised by its fruit, which look like small limes or lemons. Bark green and striated. Leaves alternate, simple or 3-foliate, 1-4.5 x 0.4-2 cm, oblong-elliptic, elliptic or lanceolate. Petiole up to 2 cm long; petiolules up to 5 mm. Flowers consist of green sepals up to 1.6 cm long, with a mass of 20-30 stamens on white filaments up to 2.5 cm long. Produced singly in the axils of the upper leaves or in short, terminal spikes (August-October). Fruit ellipsoid, 3 x 2.5 cm, smooth, green becoming yellow when ripe (September onwards).
Maerua juncea subsp. juncea has smooth fruit while those of Maerua juncea subsp. crustata, which occurs further south, has rough, warty fruit.
Range and habitat
Maerua juncea subsp. juncea occurs in Tanzania, DR Congo, Zambia, Malawi, Zimbawe, Mozambique and northern Botswana. Maerua juncea subsp. crustata occurs in southern parts of Botswana, Zimbabwe and Mozambique, and extends in to South Africa. In the valley, this species is found in mopane woodland and on the sandy deposits of the major rivers.