English: White Berry Bush; Witbessiesbos; Mutangahuma; Chinese Waterberry.
Synonym:
Securinega virosa.
Boni: Mshanga ada.
Region: Africa, Arabian Peninsula, India, China, southeast Asia, northern Australia.
Habitat: forest edges, bushland, thicket; in higher rainfall areas, dry areas along water courses, sometimes on termite mounds, rocky slopes, common in disturbed places; up to 1800 m altitude.
Content: various alkaloids, securine, virosecurinine, flueggeine; alkaloids, viroallosecurinine, virosecurinine and virosine in leaves; virosecurinine and viroallosecurinine cytotoxic; bergenin; bark contains up to 8.9% tannins; dye stuff.
Culture: invasive species in Florida, United States.
Use: multi-purpose; medicinal; ornamental, hedge, attractive foliage, white waxy fruits; bark for fish-poison; twigs as toothbrushes; bark gives black dye for dyeing matting, palm-fibres; fruit gives red dye used as ink; wood-ash for cleaning milk-containers; stem gives gum for sealing envelopes; pounded leaves as an insect repellent; tough virgate stems to make beds, fishing-stakes, wicker-traps, roof-structures, granaries, basketry; wood for chair-legs, kitchen utensils, poles for huts; wood for fuel, charcoal;
Use: fruit is edible.
BotanyShrub or small tree; deciduous; fast growing; hardy; many erect or arching branches, arising from the base and spirally arranged upwards; 4 to 7 meters tall.
Stem: wood is reddish-yellow, fine-textured, close-grained, hard, strong, elastic, durable; bark is astringent.
Stem: thin spreading branches, greyish stems.
Leaves: small; round; pale green.
Leaves: attractive foliage, bushy nature.
Inflorescence: dense axillary fascicles.
Flowers: yellow, green or cream.
Pollination: by bees, insects.
Fruit: small, white, waxy berries; 5 mm in diameter; juicy, sweet, slightly bitter; in clusters,