Editing Manilkara sansibarensis

{| class="wikitable" style="float: right; width: 320px; margin-left: 1.25em; margin-bottom: 1em;"
|-
! colspan="2" style="background: #e8e8e8;" | Mngambo (''Manilkara sansibarensis'')
|-
! Scientific name
| ''Manilkara sansibarensis''<sup id="cite_ref-1">[[#cite_note-1|[1]]]</sup>
|-
! Common names
| Mngambo; Mungambo; Ngambo; Zanzibar ironwood<sup id="cite_ref-2">[[#cite_note-2|[2]]]</sup><sup id="cite_ref-3">[[#cite_note-3|[3]]]</sup>
|-
! Family
| [[Sapotaceae]]<sup>[[#cite_note-1|[1]]]</sup>
|-
! Order
| [[Ericales]]<sup>[[#cite_note-1|[1]]]</sup>
|-
! Genus
| [[Manilkara]]<sup>[[#cite_note-1|[1]]]</sup>
|-
! Native range
| Coastal East Africa from Kenya through Tanzania to northern Mozambique<sup>[[#cite_note-1|[1]]]</sup><sup>[[#cite_note-2|[2]]]</sup><sup>[[#cite_note-3|[3]]]</sup>
|-
! Habit
| Evergreen, bushy tree; up to about 25 m<sup>[[#cite_note-2|[2]]]</sup><sup>[[#cite_note-3|[3]]]</sup>
|}

''Manilkara sansibarensis'', known as mngambo, mungambo, ngambo, or Zanzibar ironwood, is an evergreen coastal East African tree in the Sapotaceae. Kew accepts the species for a range extending from Kenya to Mozambique; ''Mimusops sansibarensis'' is a documented synonym.<sup>[[#cite_note-1|[1]]]</sup><sup>[[#cite_note-2|[2]]]</sup>

== Description ==
The plant is an evergreen, bushy tree that can reach about 25 m. It occurs in lowland coastal forest, dry evergreen forest, and coastal bushland from sea level to about 300 m. The Kenyan treatment associates it with deep coastal red sandy soils, while a Mozambican flora treatment also describes it from coastal deciduous woodland on sandy ground.<sup>[[#cite_note-2|[2]]]</sup><sup>[[#cite_note-3|[3]]]</sup>

Flowers are white and borne in dense axillary clusters. The fruit is a tough, round to oval or ellipsoid berry up to about 1.3 cm across, with one to four seeds.<sup>[[#cite_note-2|[2]]]</sup><sup>[[#cite_note-3|[3]]]</sup>

== Cultivation ==
In nature, ''M. sansibarensis'' is a warm lowland tree of coastal forests, bushland, and sandy woodland. Cultivation should begin with a frost-free site and a sandy planting medium, while water retention is checked locally: the species occurs on both deep red coastal sands and poorly drained sandy soils, so one fixed irrigation regime should not be assumed.<sup>[[#cite_note-2|[2]]]</sup><sup>[[#cite_note-3|[3]]]</sup>

=== Soil and water ===
A sandy soil is consistent with the coastal habitats described for the species. Use a planting position where the root zone can be monitored after irrigation, especially on sites that hold water; let drainage and soil depth determine how often the plant is watered rather than following a fixed schedule.<sup>[[#cite_note-2|[2]]]</sup><sup>[[#cite_note-3|[3]]]</sup>

=== Sun and humidity ===
The native landscape spans coastal forest, dry evergreen forest, and more open bushland. A warm, humid coastal-climate setting is therefore the closest environmental starting point, with exposure adjusted to whether the planting position is sheltered by canopy or open to drying wind.<sup>[[#cite_note-2|[2]]]</sup><sup>[[#cite_note-3|[3]]]</sup>

=== Seasonal changes ===
In Kwale and Kilifi, flowering was recorded in May–June and November–December, followed by fruiting in February–March and August–September. Those months are local observations from Kenya rather than a range-wide calendar; growers elsewhere should watch the plant's own flowering and fruit development when adjusting irrigation or harvest timing.<sup>[[#cite_note-2|[2]]]</sup>

== Propagation ==
Propagation by seedlings and cuttings is described for the species, with a 24-hour cold-water soak before sowing seed. These are contextual reference instructions, not comparative success rates for the different methods.<sup>[[#cite_note-2|[2]]]</sup>

Coppicing is also described as a management option, which may be relevant where a specimen is being maintained as a multi-stemmed or repeatedly cut-back tree.<sup>[[#cite_note-2|[2]]]</sup>

== Flowering, fruiting, and harvest ==
In Kwale and Kilifi, flowering was recorded in two periods, May–June and November–December, with fruiting in February–March and August–September.<sup>[[#cite_note-2|[2]]]</sup> The fruit is a small, tough berry; outside those Kenyan localities, monitor fruit development on the plant rather than relying on a fixed harvest calendar.

== Fruit and uses ==
Ripe fruit is eaten raw. The pulp is described as milky and sweet, and the seeds are discarded; the berry is reported as having one to four seeds.<sup>[[#cite_note-2|[2]]]</sup><sup>[[#cite_note-3|[3]]]</sup> This is a reported traditional use and flavor description, not a general food-safety assessment.

== References ==
* <span id="cite_note-1"></span>[[#cite_ref-1|↑]] '''[1]''' [https://powo.science.kew.org/taxon/77176939-1 ''Manilkara sansibarensis'' | Plants of the World Online | Kew Science].

* <span id="cite_note-2"></span>[[#cite_ref-2|↑]] '''[2]''' [https://apps.worldagroforestry.org/usefultrees/pdflib/Manilkara_sansibarensis_KEN.pdf ''Manilkara sansibarensis'' | Useful Trees and Shrubs for Kenya].

* <span id="cite_note-3"></span>[[#cite_ref-3|↑]] '''[3]''' [https://www.mozambiqueflora.com/speciesdata/species.php?species_id=175100 ''Manilkara sansibarensis'' | Flora of Mozambique].