Carissa
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- For other uses of Carissa, see Carissa (disambiguation)
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Carissa Mostly referred to a genus of about 20-30 species of shrubs or small trees native to tropical and subtropical regions of Africa, Australia and Asia.
The species grow to between 3-10 m tall, with spiny branches. The leaves are waxy and oblong, 3-8 cm long. The flowers are produced throughout most of the year; they are 1-5 cm diameter, with a five-lobed white or pink corolla; some have a fragrance reminiscent of Gardenia. The fruit is a plum-shaped berry, red to dark purple-black in different species, 1.5-6 cm in length, and containing up to 16 flat brown seeds. The fruit are edible but tart, with strawberry or apple-like flavour. If eaten before fully ripe, a bitter, latex-like substance is released from the skin. Because of its abundance of sharp thorns, the plant is often used as a security hedge.
- Selected species
- Carissa acuminata
- Carissa arduina
- Carissa bispinosa
- Carissa brownii
- Carissa carandas
- Carissa diffusa
- Carissa edulis
- Carissa lanceolata (Australian Bush plum)
- Carissa macrocarpa (Natal Plum; syn. C. grandiflora)
- Carissa oblongifolia
- Carissa opaca
- Carissa ovata
- Carissa schimperi
- Carissa spinarum
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