Antidesma venosum Seeds - Tassle Berry Tree - Indigenous Edible Fruit

Antidesma venosum Seeds

Tassle Berry Tree

Antidesma venosum is a beautiful shrub or small tree. It has oblong to elliptic, leathery leaves on which the veins are sunken above and prominent below with hairs on the veins on both surfaces. The yellow, scented flowers are borne on long catkin-like spikes, up to 8 cm long. It bears small edible fleshy berries that are red to purple-black when ripe, on pendulous spikes. Traditionally the leaves and roots of this plant are used, in conjunction with others, to break the spell of a jealous woman. The roots are also used in washes to ease body pain. In east Africa a decoction of the leaves, twigs and roots are ingested for stomach ache. It is also reported that the leaves contain an alkaloid.