Embelia schimperi (Bekele-Tesemma, 2007)
| Embelia schimperi (Bekele-Tesemma, 2007) |
Embelia schimperi Myrsinaceae Indigenous
Common names
- Agewgna: Enkoki
- Amargna: Enqoqo
- Guragigna: Enqoqo
- Oromugna: Hanku
- Sidamigna: Kanko
- Tigrigna: Enqoqo
Ecology
Widespread in West Africa from Nigeria and Cameroon, east to the Sudan and south to Angola, Zambia, Zimbabwe and Malawi. In Ethiopia, it is usually found as an under‑storey tree in semi‑humid highland forest with Celtis, Podocarpus, Juniperus, Ekebergia and Pouteria in Moist and Wet Weyna Dega and lower Dega agroclimatic zones in almost all regions, 1,700–2,800 m.
Uses
Firewood, medicine (fruit), against tapeworm.
Description
A tree to 7 m but often a shrubby climber.
- BARK: Smooth red-brown. Twigs without hairs but with raised pale dots, the breathing pores.
- LEAVES: Oval, wide or narrow to 8 cm x 4 cm, tip rounded, narrowing to the base, a red midrib and stalk to 2 cm. The midrib and 15 or more side veins are raised below.
- FLOWERS: Green-white-cream and tiny, on a hairy stalk from the leaf axil.
- FRUIT: Very many on stalks, each rounded, 6 cm across, red when ripe, tipped by the old style, one seed inside. Propagation Seedlings, wildings.
Seed
15,000–20,000 seed per kg.
- Treatment: Not necessary.
- Storage: Can be stored for several years.
Management
It should be grown with other lightdemanding trees to give it support and the shady environment it requires.
Remarks
The fruits are commonly sold in shops as a medicine against tape worm. The leaves are reported to be edible and used as a mild stimulant among cattle herders in East Africa.
