Marula Tree Seeds ~ Sclerocarya birrea ssp caffra Seeds - Indigenous

Sclerocarya birrea ssp. caffra is a medium to large tree, usually 9 m tall, but trees up to 18 m have been recorded; it is single stemmed with a dense, spreading crown and deciduous foliage; the bark is grey and usually peels off in flat, round disks, exposing the underlying light yellow tissue; young twigs are thick and digitaliform with spirally arranged composite leaves at their ends; it has a thick, relatively short taproot reaching depths of 2.4 m.

Fruit borne in clusters of up to 3 at the end of the twigs and always on the new growth. Fruit a round or oval drupe, usually wider than it is long, with a diameter of 30-40 mm. The shape and number of nuts per stone determine the final shape of the fruit. Marula fruit has a thick, soft leathery exocarp with tiny, round or oval spots, enclosing a juicy, mucilaginous flesh that adheres tightly to the stone and can be removed only by sucking. The flesh tastes tart, sweet and refreshing, although the fruit has a slight turpentine-like aroma and can give off a very unpleasant smell when decaying. Each fruit contains an exceedingly hard seed, which is covered by fibrous matter.

Archaeological evidence indicates that the fruit of the S. birrea ssp. caffra tree was known and consumed by humans in Africa in 10 000-9000 BC.

All parts of the fruit of S. birrea ssp. caffra are edible. The vitamin C content of the fruit is 54 mg/100 g, which is 2-3 times that of the orange. The seeds are high in fat, protein, citric acid, malic acids and sugar, phosphorus, magnesium, copper, zinc, thiamine and nicotinic acid. The pulp can be consumed raw or boiled into a thick, black consistency and used for sweetening porridge. The fruit is an excellent conserve and makes a delicious amber-coloured jelly. The flavour of S. birrea ssp. caffra has been described as pleasant, sour-sweet, guavalike and tart. The nuts, described as a delicacy, are commonly used to supplement the diet during winter or drought periods in countries such as Tanzania and Zambia, as the oil in the seed is rich in protein. Protein contents of 54-70% have been reported for de-fatted nuts. They are mixed with vegetables or meat or may be pounded and made into a cake before consumption. Fodder: The fruits are eaten by cattle and goats and a wide variety of game animals, including elephants, which often behave drunkenly when the fruits fermenn their stomachs. Although the leaves are said to be slightly poisonous, in times of drought when there is no grazing, livestock owners will lop branches off the tree to use the leaves as fodder. Fibre: A relatively good quality rope can be made from the inner bark. Timber: Wood is light reddish-brown to whitish with no definite heartwood, soft and light. As trees attain large diameters, the wood is preferred for mortars, pestles, bowls and various local crafts, saddles, furniture and heavy crates. In South Africa, commercial utilization of the wood was halted in 1962 when the tree was officially declared a protected species throughout the country. Gum/resin: The gum that exudes from the tree is rich in tannin and is sometimes used in making ink by dissolving it in water and mixing in soot. Lipids: The nuts yield an oil with a quality and fatty acid composition comparable to olive oil but with a stability that is 10 times greater. A non-drying oil that burns like a candle comprises 56% of the seed. The walnutlike stone contains up to 6% edible oil, which is occasionally sold on the local market. The oil from the seeds has preservative properties and, if dried and stored in a cool place, meat treated with it is said to keep up to 1 year. Zulu women of South Africa use the extracted oil as a cosmetic. Alcohol: A popular, fermented alcoholic beverage is prepared from the ripe fruit. The yeast occurring naturally in the fruit is normally used for spontaneous fermentation. This beverage, commonly known as marula beer, has approximately twice as much ascorbic acid as orange juice and thus is an excellent anti-scorbutic. The juice is also used to manufacture liqueur. Poison: There are claims that the fruit may be used as an insecticide as well as a germicide. Among the Zulu, the fruit is used as an acaricide. Medicine: Bark of S. birrea ssp. caffra is used to treat a variety of ailments, notably fever, boils and diarrhoea. Together with butter, it is applied as an ointment for headache and pains of the eyes. It is claimed that blood circulation is aided by a steam bath of extracts of S. birrea ssp. caffra mixed with extracts from other plants and roots. Steam from the bark is also used to treat eye disorders. Bark decoction, when mixed with other medicinal plants, treats various infections such as malaria, syphilis, leprosy, hydropsy, dysentery, hepatitis and rheumatism, and is a laxative. It is also used internally and externally as a prophylactic against gangrenous rectitis. Leaves, bark and roots are used externally (as a rub) for snakebite, and internally (as a beverage) for toothache. It has occasionally been used in veterinary medicine. The tree is a host to the edible mopane caterpillar.

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