Vitex madiensis

Botanical Description

Vitex madiensis is a shrub or small tree reaching not much more than 5 metres tall[ 323 Title Lost Crops of Africa. Vol. 3 Fruits. Publication Author Publisher National Academy Press Year 2008 ISBN 030910596X Description Masses of information on about 70 species of plants that have been utilized as fruits in Africa. ]. The plant sometimes has a more herbaceous habit, producing annual stems up to 1.5 metres long from a massive underground woody rootstock[ 308 Title Flora Zambesiaca Publication Author Website http://apps.kew.org/efloras/fz/intro.html Publisher Year 0 ISBN Description An excellent online flora of plants from the Zambezi River basin. It lists a number of the plant uses as well as the habitats and botanical descriptions of the plants. ]. The edible fruit is exceptionally popular within the plants native range - it is commonly harvested from the wild for local use and is also widely sold in local markets[ 323 Title Lost Crops of Africa. Vol. 3 Fruits. Publication Author Publisher National Academy Press Year 2008 ISBN 030910596X Description Masses of information on about 70 species of plants that have been utilized as fruits in Africa. ]. An essential oil in the leaves has been recommended for commercial exploitation[ 323 Title Lost Crops of Africa. Vol. 3 Fruits. Publication Author Publisher National Academy Press Year 2008 ISBN 030910596X Description Masses of information on about 70 species of plants that have been utilized as fruits in Africa. ]. Although not usually cultivated, the plant is often protected when land is cleared for cultivation[ 398 Title Edible Wild Plants of Tanzania Publication Author Ruffo, C.K.: Birnie, A. & Tengnas, B. Publisher Regional Land Management Unit; Nairobi. Year 2002 ISBN 9966-896-60-0 Description A very well presented, simple guide to growing and utilizing wild food plants in Tanzania, with line drawings of each plant, a description, habitat and range, non-food as well as food uses, plus basic information on growing the plants. ]. Vitex madiensis has a very wide distribution, large population, is not currently experiencing any major threats and no significant future threats have been identified. The plant is classified as 'Least Concern' in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species(2019)[ 338 Title IUCN Red List of Threatened Species Publication Author Website http://www.iucnredlist.org/ Publisher Year 0 ISBN Description A list of plants under threat and facing possible extinction, usually with brief details of the threats and information on habitat. ].