Dovyalis abyssinica
| |
| Scientific name | Dovyalis abyssinica |
|---|---|
| Common names | African gooseberry; koshim; koshommii |
| Genus | Dovyalis |
| Family | Salicaceae |
| Order | Malpighiales |
| Growth form | Shrub or small tree |
| Native range | East Africa |
| Fruit | Edible, acidic fruit |
| Years to fruit | N/A; no supported value |
| Evidence status | Accepted identity; cultivation details limited |
Dovyalis abyssinica is an accepted species in the family Salicaceae.[1] It is an East African shrub or small tree that produces an acidic edible fruit, with African gooseberry, koshim, and koshommii recorded as common names.[2][3]
Description
Dovyalis abyssinica has a shrub or small-tree growth form. The available botanical compilation records the species under the accepted name and also lists historical names including Roumea abyssinica, Aberia abyssinica, and Hydnocarpus obtusa.[2] These historical names are taxonomic synonyms or earlier combinations, not separate fruit species.
Cultivation
Soil and water
Specific soil texture, acidity, drainage, and irrigation requirements for Dovyalis abyssinica are not established here. Avoid transferring exact soil or watering prescriptions from other Dovyalis species without a documented match.
Sun and humidity
Species-specific requirements for light exposure, airflow, and atmospheric humidity remain undocumented. A reliable cultivation record should identify the provenance and growing conditions rather than treating generic Dovyalis advice as a species value.
Seasonal changes
The flowering schedule, fruiting season, response to wet and dry periods, and cold-season behavior are not established. No dormancy, protection threshold, or irrigation calendar is stated here.
Propagation
A species-specific germination method, rooting response, and time to fruiting are not established. The summary therefore gives no numerical years-to-fruit value.
Flowering, fruiting, and harvest
The species bears an acidic edible fruit.[3] A Kenyan study sampled Dovyalis abyssinica fruit from Gitoro Forest and measured a mean pH of 2.67 in fresh samples, alongside proximate, phytochemical, and antioxidant measurements.[4] The measurements describe the sampled fruit and should not be treated as a universal value for every provenance or cultivar.
No reliable species-wide flowering date, harvest window, yield, or maturity index is established in the cited records.
Fruit and uses
The fruit is described as edible and acidic.[3] The Kenyan fruit study provides compositional and antioxidant measurements for its sampled material, but those results do not establish identical composition in all plants.[4]
A separate mouse study evaluated antioxidant and antihyperglycemic effects of a crude leaf extract. That experimental result does not establish human treatment safety or clinical efficacy.[5]
References
- ↑ [3] Dovyalis abyssinica.
- ↑ [4] Chemical and antioxidant characterization of Dovyalis caffra and Dovyalis abyssinica fruits in Kenya.
Image credits
- Dovyalis abyssinica - Fruit and Spice Park - Homestead, Florida - DSC09041.jpg: photograph by Daderot, own work; CC0 / Creative Commons Zero, Public Domain Dedication. Individual file page and license details. Caption: Dovyalis abyssinica plant specimen at Fruit and Spice Park, Homestead, Florida.
