Carissa

Carissa is a genus of shrubs or small trees native to tropical and subtropical regions of Africa, Australia and Asia. Until recently about 100 species were listed, but most of them have been relegated to the status of synonyms or assigned to other genera, such as Acokanthera.

Description

Different species of Carissa grow as shrubs or trees, attaining respective heights of 2 to 10 m tall. These thorns are often formidable and have a smooth, sharp appearance. They are botanical thorns because they have modified branches. The thorns may be simple, as in Carissa spinarum, dichotomously forked as in Carissa bispinosa, or dichotomously branched as in Carissa macrocarpa.

The leaves are glossy, rich and waxy, smooth and simple. They can be elliptic, ovate, or almost lanceolate. They are 2-8 cm long, partly depending on the species, and generally are thick and leathery. In suitable climates some species flower through most of the year. The flowers are nearly sessile, 1-5 cm diameter, with a five-lobed white or pink-tinged corolla. They may be solitary or borne in clusters in an umbel or corymb. Some species’ flowers have a scent that is similar to Gardenia. This makes them popular as garden plants. The fruit is a plum-like, berry that looks like a prolate orroid. It’s similar to a rugby ball. They vary in colour depending on the species. In some species they are red when ripe, whereas others turn a glossy purple-black. Typically they are 1.5-6 cm in length, and usually contain 1-4 flat brown seeds, but up to 16 in some species.