Diospyros lycioides
Diospyros lycioides, commonly called the bushveld bluebush, is a species of African Diospyros, trees and shrubs in the family Ebenaceae. It is native to central and southern Africa, except the winter-rainfall area. It grows in Australia and is known as a weed there. Many parts of the plant are used: the wood, the roots and stems for toothbrushes, the fruits for alcoholic drinks, and the roots and bark in traditional medicine.
| Diospyros lycioides | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Diospyros lycioides subsp. lycioides in South Africa | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Eudicots |
| Clade: | Asterids |
| Order: | Ericales |
| Family: | Ebenaceae |
| Genus: | Diospyros |
| Species: | D. lycioides |
| Binomial name | |
| Diospyros lycioides Desf.[1] | |
It can form thickets, and it usually grows up to three meters high, though at its tallest it can be eight meters.[2] It is one of twenty species of Diospyros in South Africa.[2]
It has 3-4 subspecies, including D. l. subsp. lycioides, D. l. subsp. guerkei, D. l. subsp. nitens, and D. l. subsp. sericea.[3]
Uses
Its root and stem are used as toothbrushes, and its wood is used for spoons, toys, construction, and furniture.[4] In South Africa, its fruits are used to make beer and other alcoholic drinks, and its seeds are used as a coffee substitute.[3] It also has many medicinal uses, including treating cold and coughs by chewing the roots, and using the powdered bark of the root as an abortifacient.[4] Its leaves are food for the Mooi River opal butterfly (Chrysoritis lycegenes) and its flowers are attractive to many animals, namely bees and a few African birds.
References
- "GRIN-Global". npgsweb.ars-grin.gov.
- Becking, David. "Diospyros lycioides | Tree SA".
- "Diospyros lycioides | PlantZAfrica". pza.sanbi.org.
- "Diospyros lycioides (PROTA) - PlantUse English". uses.plantnet-project.org.