These plants can grow up to 9 metres (30 ft) tall.[1] The stem often branches low down and the bark is grey brown. The leaves are compound, up to 50 centimetres (20 in) long and clustered at the ends of the branches.[1] The flowers are white,[1] or cream[2] and produced on branched flowering heads at the ends of the branches.[1] The fruit are rounded; green and velvety when young to yellow and smooth when ripe.[1] The dune soap-berry may be confused with a young forest mahogany (Trichilia dregeana) because of the similar shaped compound leaves, however the dune soap-berry has paler green slightly matt leaves compared to the forest mahogany, which has a darker green leaf that is slightly more glossy.[2] The leaves of the dune soap-berry are also hard textured (when mature) and not held flat as in Trichilia dregeana.[1]
Uses
The fruit is eaten by people.[1][2] The leaves can be eaten as spinach, and the seeds can be lathered in water and used as soap (hence the name "soap-berry").[2] The roots are used in traditional Zulu medicine for stomach complaints.[1] These shrubs are also valuable garden plants, especially in wildlife gardens.[2]
^ abQuickelberge, C. (1986). A Wildlife Handbook; Familiar South African Butterflies. ISBN0-949966-95-9.
^Williams, M. (1994). Butterflies of Southern Africa; A Field Guide. ISBN1-86812-516-5.
^ abcBiodiversity data provided by: Data contributors to the Southern African Butterfly Conservation Assessment (SABCA) (list of contributors accessible here: http://sabca.adu.org.za/thanks.phpArchived 19 January 2011 at the Wayback Machine), a joint project of the South African National Biodiversity Institute, the Animal Demography Unit, University of Cape Town, and the Lepidopterists' Society of Africa (accessed via SABCA’s online virtual museum, "Intaka Island". Archived from the original on 18 January 2011. Retrieved 3 January 2011., 3 January 2010).
^Boon, Richard (2010). Pooley's Trees of Eastern South Africa; A Complete Guide. Durban: Natal Flora Trust. ISBN978-0-620-46019-4.
