Grewia villosa Willd.

Grewia villosa is a deciduous shrub to about 3 m with very distinctive leaves, young parts covered with pale silky hairs (villosa). Leaves almost round, to 12 cm across, opposite, on stalks to 4 cm; paler and more hairy below, 5 prominent veins. Flowers yellow-red-brown, in small clusters. Fruit soft and hairy when ripe, red brown, about 1 cm across, 1-2 seeds within each nut. The genus was named after Nehemiah Grew (1641-1712), one of the founders of plant physiology. The specific name is latin, meaning bearing long weak hairs.

Flowering occurs in June-September in India whereas in South Africa fruit are ready in the April-May period.

In the Sahel, it is found on stony and rocky; ferruginous soils, sometimes on sands along the banks of the Nile and on periodically inundated lands.

G. villosa is a shrub of the arid areas in Africa and India, often on river banks liable to flooding or on stony ground, in the shade of larger trees. In Kenya for instance, it is found at the coast as well as in the dry south and north. In India it is found in the dry regions of North-west India and the Deccan.

Propagation is mainly by seedlings.

Very slow growing.

There are 16 000- 17 000 seeds/kg.

Food: The fruit may be eaten, but is not actively sought after, although it may be found in some local markets, for instance in the Sudan, as a substitute for G. tenax. Fodder: The leaves are very palatable to livestock, making it a good fodder in its native range. Timber: The wood is made into walking sticks, bows, arrows and spear shafts. Gum or resin: In Sudan, an extract from the bark is used as glue for tobacco leaves. Medicine: Many medicinal uses are reported. In Kenya, the bark (powdered or fresh), is used to treat wounds, and elsewhere various parts of the tree are used in the treatment of syphilis, spleen trouble, eye-ache and stomach-ache.