Lost Crops of Africa Volume III: Fruits (2008) / Chapter Skim
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Pages 235-242
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From page 235... ...
But they are so useful that without them life would be even harder in many places between Senegal and South Africa. You see, villagers rely on these trees for much more than just fruits.
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From page 236... ...
3 There is no collective common name for these fruits. "Chocolate berry" has in the past referred only to Vitex payos, but for purposes of this chapter we have co-opted the name to refer collectively to the various African Vitex species with promise as fruit trees.
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From page 237... ...
Although all 70 Vitex species might be worth investigating, we highlight below 7 seemingly representative examples. Black Plum Tallest, most common, and best known of Africa's chocolate berries, this tree (Vitex doniana Sweet)
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From page 238... ...
In nature it occurs mostly in coastal savannas, savanna woodlands, and secondary deciduous forests. Though the species is not truly domesticated, throughout West Africa it is found growing in villages.
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From page 239... ...
Vitex simplicifolia Oliv. A small tree reaching not much more than 5 m, this West African species7 is common in savanna forests of Ghana, Mali, Togo, and Cameroon, and is to be found as far to the east as Sudan and Egypt.
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From page 240... ...
Merr. These fruits, the "real" chocolate berries, are very popular in parts of southern and eastern Africa, from roughly Mozambique to Tanzania.
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From page 241... ...
One drawback is that the juice may stain the mouth; after eating these chocolate berries everyone has black lips.
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