Carissa

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For other uses of Carissa, see Carissa (disambiguation)

Carissa
Carissa macrocarpa
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae Division: Magnoliophyta Class: Magnoliopsida Order: Gentianales Family: Apocynaceae Genus: Carissa L.
Species
See text.

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