another mystery tree - Livingstone, Zambia

Dear All

On a recent visit to Chanter's Lodge in Livingstone we saw this tree -
apparently long unidentified. Perhaps a marula species? The fruit did
not look like fig to me, as it was shiny and leaking a lot of clear sap
when picked.

See the photo on Richard Chanter's blog here

[Only registered users see links. ]

Perhaps someone can clear up the mystery? I may be able to post
another photo later

Regards,
Anton

Again, it is hard to say from these two pictures. It looks like a fig to me.
Cutting through the fruit would have confirmed / refuted that.

No way that it could be marula. It might as easily be a species of grass.
PvR

<[Only registered users see links. ].uk> schreef in

On Dec 8, 5:55 pm, "P. van Rijckevorsel" <[Only registered users see links. ]> wrote:


Okay, so here is a bit more about this fruit, including a cross
section. Does not sound at all figgy to me.

[Only registered users see links. ]

Anton

Assuming that the brownish stuff in the half fruit on the left is some kind
of kernel, it is not a fig.

The picture is so vague as not to ring any bells at all, although all this
clear (sticky?) fluid is most odd.

PvR

<[Only registered users see links. ].uk> schreef

In message <1166455436.834414.95630@t46g2000cwa.googlegroups. com>,
[Only registered users see links. ] writes

If I recall correctly the earlier photographs didn't suggest Thespesia
(or Azanza) garckeana to me, but some of the description of the fruit
brings that back to my mind - one of the names for the edible fruit is
snot-apple. Try the following PDF and see if it helps

[Only registered users see links. ]
--
Stewart Robert Hinsley

Thanks for the PDF link, but this does not seem right.

The fruit skin is smooth, not hairy, and not woody (unless I missed
something). The colours I saw ranged from green to yellow / orange
(ripe?). Mind you, I only glanced at the thing. I'll send the pdf to
the original poster and see if he knows more.

The fruit bats seemed to like them.

The fruit is spherical and smaller than a golf ball.

I have another photo of the tree... Shame I can't post it here.

A.