Carissa spinarum near Hyderabad W IMG 7612

''Carissa'' is a genus of

shrub A shrub (often also called a bush) is a small-to-medium-sized perennial woody plant. Unlike herbaceous plants, shrubs have persistent woody stems above the ground. Shrubs can be either deciduous or evergreen. They are distinguished from trees ...

s or small trees native to tropical and subtropical regions of Africa,

Australia Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a Sovereign state, sovereign country comprising the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous List of islands of Australia, sma ...

and Asia. Until recently about 100 species were listed, but most of them have been relegated to the status of synonyms or assigned to other genera, such as ''

Acokanthera ''Acokanthera'' is a genus of flowering plants in the family Apocynaceae. It comprises 5 species and is generally restricted to Africa, although '' Acokanthera schimperi'' also occurs in Yemen. Its sap contains the deadly cardiotoxic glycoside '' ...

''.Kew World Checklist of Selected Plant Families
/ref>

Description

Different species of ''Carissa'' grow as shrubs or trees, attaining respective heights of 2 to 10 m tall. They bear smooth, sharp

thorns Thorn(s) or The Thorn(s) may refer to: Botany * Thorns, spines, and prickles, sharp structures on plants * ''Crataegus monogyna'', or common hawthorn, a plant species Comics and literature * Rose and Thorn, the two personalities of two DC Com ...

that often are formidable; they are true botanical thorns, being modified branches, morphologically speaking. The thorns may be simple, as in '' Carissa spinarum'', dichotomously forked as in '' Carissa bispinosa'', or dichotomously branched as in '' Carissa macrocarpa''. The

leaves A leaf (plural, : leaves) is any of the principal appendages of a vascular plant plant stem, stem, usually borne laterally aboveground and specialized for photosynthesis. Leaves are collectively called foliage, as in "autumn foliage", wh ...

are a rich, glossy, waxy green, smooth, simple, entire and elliptic to

ovate Ovate may refer to: *Ovate (egg-shaped) leaves, tepals, or other botanical parts *Ovate, a type of prehistoric stone hand axe *Ovates, one of three ranks of membership in the Welsh Gorsedd *Vates In modern English, the nouns vates () and ovat ...

or nearly lanceolate. They are 2–8 cm long, partly depending on the species, and generally are thick and leathery. In suitable climates some species flower through most of the year. The flowers are nearly sessile, 1–5 cm diameter, with a five-lobed white or pink-tinged corolla. They may be solitary or borne in clusters in an umbel or corymb.Dyer, R. Allen, The Genera of Southern African Flowering Plants”. , 1975 The flowers of some species some have a fragrance reminiscent of ''

Gardenia ''Gardenia'' is a genus of flowering plants in the coffee family, Rubiaceae, native to the tropical and subtropical regions of Africa, Asia, Madagascar and Pacific Islands, and Australia. The genus was named by Carl Linnaeus and John Ellis aft ...

'', which adds to their popularity as garden plants. The fruit is a plum-like

berry A berry is a small, pulpy, and often edible fruit. Typically, berries are juicy, rounded, brightly colored, sweet, sour or tart, and do not have a stone or pit, although many pips or seeds may be present. Common examples are strawberries, raspb ...

in the shape of a prolate spheroid, like that of a rugby ball. In colour they vary according to species. In some species they are red when ripe, whereas others turn a glossy purple-black. Typically they are 1.5–6 cm in length, and usually contain 1-4 flat brown seeds, but up to 16 in some species.

Fruit

The fruit of the carissa is an oblong berry which contains numerous small seeds. The green fruit is poisonous, sometimes dangerously so. The ripe fruit are edible, but may be fairly tart, though some species have fruity flavours with overtones of

strawberry The garden strawberry (or simply strawberry; ''Fragaria × ananassa'') is a widely grown hybrid species of the genus '' Fragaria'', collectively known as the strawberries, which are cultivated worldwide for their fruit. The fruit is widely ap ...

or apple. They are rich in Vitamin C, calcium, magnesium and phosphorus. The fruit of ''C. macrocarpa'' are especially relished and eaten raw or used to make jelly. Various birds eat ''Carissa'' fruit and distribute the seed. '' Carissa carandas'' is grown in several Asiatic countries for its fruit, which is variously used in cooking and in folk medicine (see article).

Horticulture

''Carissa'' species generally respond well to gardening and are valued in topiary and in forming strong, dense, decorative, thorny, flowering

hedge A hedge or hedgerow is a line of closely spaced shrubs and sometimes trees, planted and trained to form a barrier or to mark the boundary of an area, such as between neighbouring properties. Hedges that are used to separate a road from adjoini ...

s. Some sprawling varieties are useful as ground covers.Floridata page for ''Carissa macrocarpa''
/ref> ''Carissa'' species are grown from seed or cuttings and tolerate slight frost.

Species

The following species are recognised. # '' Carissa bispinosa'' (L.) Desf. ex Brenan - widespread in E + S Africa from Kenya to Cape Province # ''

Carissa boiviniana ''Carissa'' is a genus of shrubs or small trees native to tropical and subtropical regions of Africa, Australia and Asia. Until recently about 100 species were listed, but most of them have been relegated to the status of synonyms or assigne ...

'' (Baill.) Leeuwenb. - Madagascar # '' Carissa carandas'' L. - India, Bangladesh; naturalized in S China, Mauritius, Nepal, Pakistan, Indochina, Java, Philippines, West Indies # ''

Carissa haematocarpa ''Carissa'' is a genus of shrubs or small trees native to tropical and subtropical regions of Africa, Australia and Asia. Until recently about 100 species were listed, but most of them have been relegated to the status of synonyms or assigne ...

'' (Eckl.) A.DC. - Namibia, Cape Province of South Africa # '' Carissa macrocarpa'' (Eckl.) A.DC. - Kenya + Zaire south to Cape Province; naturalized in S China, Ascension Island, Hawaii, Florida, Texas, Mexico, Central America, West Indies # ''

Carissa pichoniana ''Carissa'' is a genus of shrubs or small trees native to tropical and subtropical regions of Africa, Australia and Asia. Until recently about 100 species were listed, but most of them have been relegated to the status of synonyms or assigne ...

'' Leeuwenb. - Madagascar # '' Carissa spinarum'' L. - Africa, Arabian Peninsula, Indian Subcontinent, Indochina, New Guinea, New Caledonia, Australia # ''

Carissa tetramera ''Carissa tetramera'', the sand num-num, is a plant in the dogbane family Apocynaceae. The specific epithet ''tetramera'' means "four parts", referring to the flower. Description ''Carissa tetramera'' grows as a shrub up to tall. Its strong-sc ...

'' (Sacleux) Stapf - E + S Africa from Kenya to KwaZulu-Natal # ;Formerly included * ''

Acokanthera oblongifolia ''Acokanthera oblongifolia'' (commonly known as African wintersweet, dune poison bush, Hottentot's poison, poison arrow plant or wintersweet) is a plant in the family Apocynaceae. It grows as an evergreen shrub or small tree up to tall. Its frag ...

'' (Hochst.) Codd (as ''C. oblongifolia'' Hochst.) * ''

Acokanthera schimperi ''Acokanthera schimperi'', arrow poison tree, belonging to the family Apocynaceae, is a small tree native to eastern and central Africa as well as to Yemen. Uses The bark, wood and roots of ''Acokanthera schimperi'' are used as an important in ...

'' (A.DC.) Benth. & Hook.f. ex Schweinf. (as ''C. schimperi'' A.DC.)

References

{{Taxonbar, from=Q1470978 Apocynaceae genera Fruits originating in Africa Plants used in bonsai