View source for Dovyalis

{{Taxobox
| color = lightgreen
| name = ''Dovyalis''
| regnum = [[Plantae]]
| divisio = [[Flowering plant|Magnoliophyta]]
| classis = [[Magnoliopsida]]
| ordo = [[Malpighiales]]
| familia = [[Salicaceae]]
| genus = '''''Dovyalis'''''
| subdivision_ranks = Species
| subdivision = 
About 15 species, including:<br/>
''[[Dovyalis abyssinica]]''<br/>
''[[Dovyalis caffra]]''<br/>
''[[Dovyalis hebecarpa]]''
}}

'''''Dovyalis''''' is a [[genus]] of [[shrub]]s and small [[tree]]s. Recent genetic evidence has shown the genus to belong to the family [[Salicaceae]]; formerly it was classified in the family [[Flacourtiaceae]]. The 15 species are native to [[Africa]] ([[Ethiopia]] south to [[South Africa]]) and southern [[Asia]] ([[India]], [[Sri Lanka]]).

They are dense, thorny plants growing to 3-6 m tall, with sharp, 3-6 cm long stem spines in the leaf [[axil]]s. Buds at the base of the spine produce clusters of alternately arranged simple ovate [[leaf|leaves]] 3-10 cm long.

The [[flower]]s are inconspicuous, solitary or clustered, with no petals. They are [[plant sexuality|dioecious]], with male and female flowers on separate plants. The [[fruit]] is an edible, yellow to purple globose [[berry]] 2-4 cm diameter, containing several small [[seed]]s. They are very juicy and with an [[acid]]ic flavour. 

===Cultivation and uses===
Several species are grown for their fruit; ''[[Dovyalis caffra|D. caffra]]'' (Umkokola or Kei-apple) is popular in southern Africa, and ''[[Dovyalis hebecarpa|D. hebecarpa]]'' (Kitembilla) in India and Sri Lanka. Some, notably ''D. abyssinica'', are also grown as [[ornamental plant]]s and as [[hedge (gardening)|hedge]]s, where the spines are valued for deterring intrusion by [[livestock]] or [[burglar]]s.

[[Category:Salicaceae]]