Abstract
Ximenia americana is one of the most valuable wild edible plants in the world. In different countries, it is utilized as food, medicine, an essential oil source, and the industrial component to other products. In Ethiopia, it was one of the most known and very important plants for a long period of time. It was utilized as food, a medicinal plant, and animal feed. It was also one of the most economically important and culturally valuable plants. But nowadays, it is not adequately available in the country due to deforestation problem in the years. In addition, its economic importance, current status, and medicinal roles are not well documented and understood. As for research studies, it is concluded that unless a collective effort is taken, the existence of this plant is under severe threat and needs to have some measures. This review article is aimed at addressing the abovelined topics in detail and to pinpoint and explain the importance and status of Ximenia americana.
Highlights
Fruit culture, starting from its onset which is during the earliest periods of man settlement mostly up to its modern production with so many sophisticated equipment and technologies, passes through selection, vegetative propagation, irrigation, pruning, training, pollination, harvesting, and storage [2, 3]. rough those processes, human ancestors developed their association with the fruit growing, and they thrive with some of them as food, medicinal, and animal feed roles [4]
Zemede and Mesfin [6] by referring different authors to various sources reported that about 5% of the total plant species of the world which serve for human beings are domesticated, used as food, and another supplement. e remaining plant species are wild, and most of them are utilized as wild
Current Status of Ximenia americana in Ethiopia In Ethiopia, this plant has been used by the rural people for a long time as a source of fresh fruit, as a medicine, and as a supplement for firewood
Summary
Ximenia americana, which belongs to family Olacaceae with common names English (hog plum, wild plum, and false sandalwood), Amharic (inkoy and kol), Tigrigna (mlehtta and mullo), is a semiscandent bush-forming shrub or small tree 2–7 m high [13]. Slender up to 6 mm long, and canaliculated, and it has grey-green, hairless, and leathery or thin flesh. E flower colors are mainly white, yellow-green, or pink which are developed in branched inflorescences. E fruits are globose to ellipsoidal drupes about 3 cm long, 2.5 cm thick, glabrous, greenish when young, become yellowish (or rarely orange-red) when ripe, contain a juicy pulp, and 1 seed. Fruits are dispersed by animals [17] It is diversified in different locations such as countrysides, savannah, forest lands, dry woodlands, and riverbanks. It is drought-resistant with an altitude requirement of 900–2,000 masl, mean annual temperature of 14–30°C, and mean annual rainfall of 300–1 250 mm. It prefers poor and dry soil, including clay, clay loam, loamy sand, sandy clay loam, and sand [17]
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