Kumukhomeli - Believed to help with hammering headaches 🫩 (garcinia buchananii)

Derivation of the name: Khukoma - to abuse, to hammer. The fruit of the tree is used to treat pounding headaches. Ekhomeli - fruit of the tree.

Natural habitat and distribution in bungoma: Habitat: wooded grassland, moist forest. Distribution: rare species in woodland and wooded grassland but commonly found on rocky sites and in forest relicts along hill slopes.

Description: Bark grey-brown, rough. Leaves shiny dark green above, paler green below, leathery, opposite, lateral veins conspicuous. Flower white or yellow, solitary, axillary. Fruit yellow to orange fleshy, globose, up to 2.5 cm in diameter, acidic.

Physical features: shape: tree up to 15 m high, straight bole, densely branched. Crown: oval to rounded. Foliage: very dense, evergreen.

Biological Features: Tree/crop association: not recommended. Biomass production: rather slow growing. Other characteristics: the wood is durable and hard, the tree contains a yellow sticky sap.  Reproduction: seeds.

Ecological benefit: afforestation of rocky sites, soil conservation, diversity aspect.

Tree products and use: firewood charcoal, sticks, shade, small furniture. It is one of the most appreciated local fruit trees.

Medicinal application: Bark/Root: STD, backache, over abdominal pain. Fruit: palpitation.