甜假虎刺 tian jia hu ci

Antura edulis Forsskål, Fl. Aegypt.-Arab. 63. 1775; Arduina edulis (Forsskål) Spreng; Carandas edulis (Forsskål) Hiern; Jasminonerium edule (Forsskål) Kuntze.

Plants small trees or climbing in the wild, much branched shrubs to 5 m in cultivation; spines usually simple, straight or recurved, 2.5-5 cm. Leaf blade ovate to obovate or suborbicular, 2-5 X 2-4 cm, leathery, glabrous; lateral veins 3-5 pairs, inconspicuous. Sepals very narrowly oblong, 2-4.5 mm, ciliolate, glabrous outside. Corolla white or tinged with pink, glabrous outside, slightly hairy at mouth and on inner lobe surface, tube 0.9-2 cm; lobes ovate or oblong, 3-9 mm, acute at apex, overlapping to right. Berries purple to red, globose, 7-10 mm in diam. Seeds 2-4. 2n = 22.

S Yunnan [native of tropical Africa and S Arabia]

Cultivated for its edible fruit.