Russet bush-willow, Mouse-eared combretum

A tropical plant. It often grows in stony and shallow soils. It grows at medium to low altitudes in open wooded grassland. It can grow in salty soils. It can tolerate drought. It grows between 30-1,465 m above sea level. It can grow in arid places.

Also known as:

Fiti-tonga, Ithetshane, Kierieklapper, Livimbela, Macucumi, Mokabe, Mucandi, Murovamhuru, Mutechani, Mutumba, N'nari, Nacucuni, Naguegue, Naturua, Nkamouzoaye, Norupanari, Sihlalavane, Umdvubu, Umklalavane, Umphulumbu

Synonyms

Combretum transvaalensis Schinz.

Combretum rhodesiacum Bak.

Combretum porphyrolepis Engl. & Diels

Combretum hereroense Schinz var. villosissimum Engl. & Diels

Combretum transvaalense var. villosissimum Burtt Davy

Edible Portion

Fruit, Leaves - tea, Gum

Where does Russet bush-willow grow?

Found in: Africa, Angola, Botswana, Central Africa, East Africa, Eswatini, Ethiopia, Kenya, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, Somalia, South Africa, Southern Africa, Sudan, Swaziland, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia, Zimbabwe

Notes: There are about 255 Combretum species.

Growing Russet bush-willow, Mouse-eared combretum

Cultivation: Plants can be grown from seeds. The seeds are best removed from the outer covering and soaked in water for a few hours. Seeds germinate in 1-2 weeks. Seedlings can be transplanted at the 3 leaf stage. It can be cut back and will re-grow.

Edible Uses: The dried fruit are used as a tea substitute. The seeds are considered poisonous and are removed. The fruit are also eaten fresh. The leaves are dried and used for tea.

Production: It is slow growing. Seedlings can reach one metre in 18-24 months.

Nutrition Info

per 100g edible portion

Edible Part	Energy (kcal)	Protein (g)	Iron (mg)	Vitamin A (ug)	Vitamin c (mg)	Zinc (mg)	% Water
	-	-	-	-	-	-

References

Facciola, S., 1998, Cornucopia 2: a Source Book of Edible Plants. Kampong Publications, p 80

Fowler, D. G., 2007, Zambian Plants: Their Vernacular Names and Uses. Kew. p 19

Fox, F. W. & Young, M. E. N., 1982, Food from the Veld. Delta Books. p 157

Grivetti, 1976, 1979,

Grivetti, L. E., 1980, Agricultural development: present and potential role of edible wild plants. Part 2: Sub-Saharan Africa, Report to the Department of State Agency for International Development. p 79 (As Combretum transvaalense)

Lee, 1979,

Long, C., 2005, Swaziland's Flora - siSwati names and Uses http://www.sntc.org.sz/flora/

Mannheimer, C. A. & Curtis. B.A. (eds), 2009, Le Roux and Muller's Field Guide to the Trees and Shrubs of Namibia. Windhoek: Macmillan Education Namibia. p 358

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Palmer, E and Pitman, N., 1972, Trees of Southern Africa. Vol. 3. A.A. Balkema, Cape Town p 1639

Peters, C. R., O'Brien, E. M., and Drummond, R.B., 1992, Edible Wild plants of Sub-saharan Africa. Kew. p 85

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Plowes, N. J. & Taylor, F. W., 1997, The Processing of Indigenous Fruits and other Wildfoods of Southern Africa. in Smartt, L. & Haq. (Eds) Domestication, Production and Utilization of New Crops. ICUC p 188

Roodt, V., 1998, Trees & Shrubs of the Okavango Delta. Medicinal Uses and Nutritional value. The Shell Field Guide Series: Part 1. Shell Botswana. p 101

Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew (1999). Survey of Economic Plants for Arid and Semi-Arid Lands (SEPASAL) database. Published on the Internet; http://www.rbgkew.org.uk/ceb/sepasal/internet [Accessed 10th April 2011]

Ruiters-Welcome, A. K., 2019, Food plants of southern Africa. Ph.D. thesis. Univ. of Johannesburg p 45

Swaziland's Flora Database http://www.sntc.org.sz/flora

van Wyk, B, van Wyk, P, and van Wyk B., 2000, Photographic guide to Trees of Southern Africa. Briza. p 90

Venter, F & J., 2009, Making the most of Indigenous Trees. Briza. p 106

Verh. Bot. Vereins Prov. Brandenburg 30:245. 1888

Wild, 1975,

World Checklist of Useful Plant Species 2020. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew