CRATAEVA ADANSONII DC.—Gude. CAPPARIDACEAE.
A medium sized tree found growing locally in considerable quantities in “fadammas.” It attains a height of about 30 feet with a girth of 4-5 feet. Owing to the fact that the leaves are cropped as a human foodstuff, few trees retain their natural form and the general appearance is that of a pollard willow, with a short, stout stem and a number of erect slender shoots, inclined to bend down. Owing to its being liable to submersion for certain periods, the stem is frequently in a semi-recumbent position and from it spring a number of shoots forming a false crown. It is a very handsome tree in full flower and the delicate foliage is attractive.
The Bark is a light brown with a few crisp scales here and there. That of the branches is smoke-colour, densely covered with light brown lenticels. That of the new twigs is pale brown.
The Wood is very soft and of a rich yellow colour. It has a strong not unpleasant odour. It is of no practical use.
The Leaves are trifoliate with a stalk some 3 inches long and the leaflets from 3-4 inches long and an inch wide. They are narrow at both ends, light green and smooth, tender in consistency. They are in whorl-like bunches at the tips of the twigs.
The Flowers are very handsome and appear in February at the tips of the twigs in clusters of 10-20. Each has 4 small pale green sepals, 4 large leaf-like white petals grouped round one-half of the calyx and some 18 inch-long mauve stamens with mauve anthers. The pistil, which appears prominent in length after fertilisation is some 1½ inches long, with a knob at the end.
The Fruit is very like that of Strychnos (kokiya) in appearance, a pale brown sphere from 1½-3 inches in diameter on a woody stalk about 2½ inches long. The inside contains a number of small dark brown seeds of quaint “curled-up” shape embedded in a white, mealy flesh. The “rind” of the fruit is thin and crisp. The fruits are ripe about November onwards. They are eaten by birds who pick out the contents and leave the empty “shell” on the tree.
Uses.—The leaves are considerably eaten by the natives, and in times of famine are taken great distances to the markets.
