Family name
Anacardiaceae

Local name(s)
Qommo, Yeregna kolo (Amargna), Tatess (Omorugna), Ongafire (Gamo) 

General description
R. vulgaris is a shrub or small tree that usually reaches 6m. Its branchlets are brown and hairy. The leaves are made of three leaflets of dull green colour which are slightly hairy, especially below. They are oval to rounded, usually 5cm long, the tip either rounded, notched or sharp, the upper edges sometimes with large rounded teeth. The leaf stalk is up to 4cm but very variable. The flowers are small bunches on hairy branched sprays, to 15cm, yellow-green, with bright yellow stamens. The fruits are thin yellow-red, flat and round, only 3 to 5mm across. 

Edible part(s), preparation methods and palatability
Fruits are edible. They are small, but produced in large quantities. They are pinkish in colour, have a sweetish acid taste and are chewed and swallowed fresh/raw. It is a typical famine food plant. It is also said that the fruits are better to eat when they are heated.

Agroecology
R. vulgaris is found in Africa from Cameroon east to Ethiopia and south to Mozambique, Malawi, Zambia and Zimbabwe. R. vulgaris is a very common shrub at forest edges in the moist midlands between 1,700 - 2,200m. It grows on a variety of soils (clay, sandy and rocky).

Propagation method(s)
Propagates by seedlings and wildlings. 

Sample location(s)
Bola Haniqua Kebele, Kemba Woreda (North Omo)

Remarks
Other uses involve firewood, farm tools and also used as a toothbrush. Maundu et al., 1999 says that the taxonomic status of this species needs further work.

¹ Parts of the following description have been taken from Bekele Tesemma et al., 1993: p. 394/395 and Maundu et al., 1999: p. 196

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