''Phyllogeiton discolor'' (syn. ''Berchemia discolor''), known as bird plum or brown ivory in English, is a tree native to southern and eastern Africa including

Madagascar Madagascar, officially the Republic of Madagascar, is an island country that includes the island of Madagascar and numerous smaller peripheral islands. Lying off the southeastern coast of Africa, it is the world's List of islands by area, f ...

. It is a broadleaf tree growing to . The fruits, resembling dates, are edible with sweet flesh surrounding 1-2 flat seeds. They are occasionally sold in local markets, eaten fresh, or dried and pounded and then added to

pearl millet Pearl millet (''Cenchrus americanus'', commonly known as the synonym ''Pennisetum glaucum'') is the most widely grown type of millet. It has been grown in Africa and the Indian subcontinent since prehistoric times. The center of diversity, and ...

pap for their sweet flavour. Animals such as monkeys, baboons and birds also eat them.

Ecology

The leaves are eaten by elephants, giraffe and several antelopes, as well as livestock, such that many trees exhibit a distinct browse line. The wood is hard and attractive, suitable for furniture, charcoal, building material, beehives, crafts, and things like tool handles and

pestle A mortar and pestle is a set of two simple tools used to prepare ingredients or substances by compression (physics), crushing and shear force, grinding them into a fine Paste (rheology), paste or powder in the kitchen, laboratory, and pharmacy. ...

Uses

''Phyllogeiton discolor'' is also used as a dye, fodder, ornamental tree and as herbal medicine to treat several human and animal diseases and ailments. For instance, the

Himba people The Himba (singular: OmuHimba, plural: OvaHimba) are an ethnic group with an estimated population of about 50,000 people living in northern Namibia, in the Kunene Region (formerly Kaokoland) and on the other side of the Kunene River in southern A ...

cook the bark against nausea and diarrhoea.

Gallery

File:Berchemia discolor00.jpg, Fruit File:Berchemia discolor-Kruger-NP bark.jpg, Bark File:Brown ivory (Phyllogeiton discolor) 2.jpg, Unripe fruit and leaves

References

Rhamnaceae Flora of Angola Flora of Ethiopia Flora of Madagascar Flora of Namibia Flora of Somalia Flora of the Northern Provinces Flora of Africa Flora of Tanzania Flora of Yemen Fruits originating in Africa Tropical fruit Plants described in 1868 Flora of the Madagascar dry deciduous forests {{Africa-stub