''Vitex doniana'' is a tree native to the Afrotropics. Its fruits are one of several fruits called black plums. This tree is often grown for its fruits.

Description

It grows to , and rarely up to . Its fruits are at most in length. ''V. doniana'' is found at altitudes of in

Ethiopia Ethiopia, , om, Itiyoophiyaa, so, Itoobiya, ti, ኢትዮጵያ, Ítiyop'iya, aa, Itiyoppiya officially the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, is a landlocked country in the Horn of Africa. It shares borders with Eritrea to the ...

Nigeria Nigeria ( ), , ig, Naìjíríyà, yo, Nàìjíríà, pcm, Naijá , ff, Naajeeriya, kcg, Naijeriya officially the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a country in West Africa. It is situated between the Sahel to the north and the Gulf o ...

Eswatini Eswatini ( ; ss, eSwatini ), officially the Kingdom of Eswatini and formerly named Swaziland ( ; officially renamed in 2018), is a landlocked country in Southern Africa. It is bordered by Mozambique to its northeast and South Africa to its no ...

Tanzania Tanzania (; ), officially the United Republic of Tanzania ( sw, Jamhuri ya Muungano wa Tanzania), is a country in East Africa within the African Great Lakes region. It borders Uganda to the north; Kenya to the northeast; Comoro Islands and ...

Uganda }), is a landlocked country in East Africa East Africa, Eastern Africa, or East of Africa, is the eastern subregion of the African continent. In the United Nations Statistics Division scheme of geographic regions, 10-11-(16*) territor ...

and

Zambia Zambia (), officially the Republic of Zambia, is a landlocked country at the crossroads of Central Africa, Central, Southern Africa, Southern and East Africa, although it is typically referred to as being in Southern Africa at its most cent ...

. The insect '' Rastrococcus invadens'' is a pest to this plant. ''V. doniana'' is known as plem in

, uchakoro in

, mfudu and mfuu in

, mfuu in

, munyamazi and yuelo in

and kashilumbalu in

. ''V. doniana'' is one of the few plants notable for its

phytoecdysteroid Phytoecdysteroids are plant-derived ecdysteroids. Phytoecdysteroids are a class of chemicals that plants synthesize for defense against phytophagous (plant eating) insects. These compounds are mimics of hormones used by arthropods in the molting pr ...

content, Ochieng et al. 2013 finding it is one of the few with more than 0.001% by

dry weight Vehicle weight is a measurement of wheeled motor vehicles; either an actual measured weight of the vehicle under defined conditions or a gross weight rating for its weight carrying capacity. Curb or kerb weight Curb weight (U.S. English) or kerb ...

. Specifically they find 21-hydroxyshidasterone, 11b-hydroxy-20-deoxyshidasterone and 2,3-acetonide-24-hydroxyecdysone.

References

doniana Fruit Garden plants of Africa {{Lamiaceae-stub