The Flowers are in small, erect panicles which appear in January. They are about ⅜ inch across, tubular with 5 petals, 4 of which are small and white, the fifth larger and pink. There are 2 long and 2 short stamens.
The Fruits are in pendulous bunches which ripen from December on. They are black and shiny with little brown lenticels on the skin, a black or dark brown flesh and a large stone. They are ¾-1 inch in diameter. The calyx, which enlarges and holds the unripe fruit, dries, shrivels and recedes from the ripe fruit. Bees are greatly attracted by it.
Uses.—The wood is used for making small canoes and large drums.
The fruits are used for making sweetmeats (alewa and madi) and have a taste of honey.
The young leaves are eaten with groundnuts, pepper and salt: they are also an ingredient of ink, being mixed with gum and boiled down to a thickened extract.
Beehives are commonly placed in the branches of this tree.
VITEX DIVERSIFOLIA Baker.—Dunyar biri. VERBENACEAE.
A small tree some 15 feet high, occasionally more, not very common but occurring here and there in Tree savannah and with a very wide distribution. It has little form, being erect and of open growth. Its distinguishing character is the highly scented leaf and the fact that some may be simple and others tri-foliolate. The leaves and branches are in whorls of three, and the fruits like small, oblong editions of those of the well-known V. Cienkowskii.