Critical Review on Wild-Edible Fruit Species in Ethiopia

Table 3

Common wild edible fruit tree and shrub species.

S/N	Scientific name	Family	Vernacular name	Local name	Growth habit	Other uses
1	Adansonia digitata	Bombacaceae	Baobab	Bamba	Tree	1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 9
2	Annonasenegalensis	Annonaceae	Wild custard apple	Yebere lib	Shrub tree	1, 2, 4, 5
3	Balanites aegyptiaca	Balanitaceae	Desert date	Bedeno	Tree	1, 2, 3, 5, 6, 7
4	Balanites rotundifolia	Balanitaceae	—	Kuzo/Murko	Shrub tree	2, 3, 4, 6, 7
5	Berchemia discolor	Rhamnaceae	Wild almond	Jejeba	Shrub or tree	2, 4, 5, 9
6	Bridelia micrantha	Euphorbiaceae	Coast goldleaf	YenebirTifir	Shrub or tree	2, 3, 4, 5, 7
7	Carissa spinarum	Apocynaceae	Bush plum	Agam	Shrub	3, 5, 6, 7, 8
8	Cordia africana	Boraginaceae	Sudan teak	Wanza	Tree	2, 3, 5, 7
9	Cordia monoica	Boraginaceae	Sandpaper saucer-berry	Mintiro/Qeya-wanza	Shrub or tree	3, 4, 5, 9
10	Diospyros mespiliformis	Ebenaceae	Jackal-berry/African ebony	Betere muse	Tree	2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 9
11	Dobera glabra	Salvadoraceae	—	Garsa	Shrub or tree	1, 2, 3
12	Dovyalis abyssinca	Flacourtiaceae	African gooseberry	Koshum	Shrub	3, 5, 6, 9
13	Eriobotrya japonica	Rosaceae	Loquat/Japan-plum	Weshmela	Shrub or small tree	2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 9
14	Ficus sur	Moraceae	Fig tree	Shola	Tree	4, 5, 10
15	Ficus sycomorus	Moraceae	Sycamore of the Bible	Bamba	Tree	2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 10
16	Ficus vasta	Moraceae	Fig tree	Warka	Tree	3, 4, 10
17	Flacourtia indica	Flacourtiaceae	Indian plum	Akuku	Shrub or tree	2, 3, 4, 5, 6
18	Gardenia ternifolia	Rubiaceae	Large-leaved gardenia	—	Shrub or small tree	9
19	Garcinia livingstonei	Clusiaceae	African mangosteen	—	Shrub or small tree	2, 3, 4, 5, 7
20	Grewia villosa	Tiliaceae	Mallow-leaved ross berry	Agobday	Shrub	2, 3, 5
21	Manilkara butugi	Sapotaceae	Chicle tree/naseberry	Butigi	Tree	3, 4, 5
22	Meyna tetraphylla	Rubiaceae	—	—	Shrub	5, 6
23	Mimusops kummel	Sapotaceae	Red milkwood	Eshi	Tree	3, 4, 5
24	Oncoba spinosa	Flacourtiaceae	Wild rose	Ekuku	Shrub or small tree	3, 4, 5
25	Opuntia ficus-indica	Cactaceae	Prickly pear	Qulqual	Succulent shrub or tree	2, 6, 7
26	Phoenix reclinata	Arecaceae	Wild date palm	Zenbaba	Tree	2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 10
27	Rosa abyssinica	Rosaceae	Abyssinian rose	Kega	Shrub	3, 6, 5
28	Salvadora persica	Salvadoraceae	Toothbrush tree	Yeharer-mefaqya	Shrub or tree	2, 3, 5, 7, 10
29	Sclerocarya birrea	Anacardiaceae	Marula tree	Didissa/Didigssa	Tree	1, 2, 4, 6, 5, 10
30	Strychnos spinosa	Loganiaceae	Spiny monkey orange	Merenz	Shrub or tree	2, 3, 4, 5
31	Syzygium guineense	Myrtaceae	Waterberry	Dokma	Tree	3, 4, 5, 9, 10
32	Tamarindus indica	Fabaceae	Tamarind	Roqa/Homer	Tree	2, 3, 4, 5, 7
33	Vangueria madagascariensis	Rubiaceae	Spanish tamarind	—	Shrub	3, 5, 9
34	Vitex doniana	Lamiaceae	Black plum	Plem	Tree	2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 9, 10
35	Ximenia americana	Olacaceae	Wild plum	Inkoy	Large shrub or tree	2, 3, 4, 5, 6
36	Ziziphus mauritiana	Rhamnaceae	Jujube	Qurqurah	Large shrub or tree	2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7
37	Ziziphus spina-christi	Rhamnaceae	Christ's thorn jujube	Qurqurah	Large shrub or tree	2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 10

1: food (leaves, seeds, or other parts); 2: fodder; 3: fuel-wood; 4: timber or pole; 5: medicinal value; 6: fencing; 7: soil conservation/improvement; 8: land rehabilitation; 9: others, e.g., bee forage; 10: shade or ornamental.