Taxon: Carissa spinarum L.

Summary

Genus:

Carissa

Family:

Apocynaceae

Subfamily:

Rauvolfioideae

Tribe:

Carisseae

Nomen number:

9166

Place of publication:

Mant. pl. 2:559. 1771

Typification:

View in Linnean Typification Project

Verified:

10/06/2010 ARS Systematic Botanists.

Accessions:

10 (1 active, 1 available) in National Plant Germplasm System. (Map it)

Other conspecific taxa

Autonyms (not in current use), synonyms and invalid designations

Heterotypic Synonym(s)
Carissa brownii F. Muell.
Carissa congesta Wight
Carissa diffusa Roxb.
Carissa edulis Vahl
Carissa opaca Stapf ex Haines
Carissa ovata R. Br.

No images

Conservation Status

Reference(s)

APHIS. Agricultural Risk Management System United States Department of Agriculture.
Backer, C. A. & R. C. Bakhuizen van den Brink, Jr. 1963-1968. Flora of Java.
Chinese Academy of Sciences. 1959-. Flora reipublicae popularis sinicae.
Dassanayake, M. D. & F. R. Fosberg, eds. 1980-. A revised handbook to the flora of Ceylon.
Kiew, R. et al., eds. 2010-. Flora of peninsular Malaysia Note: Forest Research Institute Malaysia.
Leeuwenberg, A. J. M. & F. J. H. van Dilst. 2001. Series of revisions of Apocynaceae XLIX. Carissa L. Agric. Univ. Wageningen Pap. 2001-1:35-70.
Liberty Hyde Bailey Hortorium. 1976. Hortus third. A concise dictionary of plants cultivated in the United States and Canada
Matthew, K. M. 1983. The flora of the Tamilnadu Carnatic.
Smitinand, T. & K. Larsen, eds. 1970-. Flora of Thailand.
Steenis, C. G. G. J. van, ed. 1948-. Flora malesiana.
Thulin, M., ed. 1993-. Flora of Somalia.
Wu Zheng-yi & P. H. Raven et al., eds. 1994-. Flora of China (English edition).

Common names

Language	Name	Alternate name	note	seq	Citation
English	carandas-plum		as Carissa edulis	1	Rehm, S. 1994. Multilingual dictionary of agronomic plants Note: as Carissa edulis
English	currentbush		as Carissa ovata	1	Botanic Gardens Trust. New South Wales flora online, PlantNET (on-line resource). Note: as Carissa ovata
English	Egyptian carissa		as Carissa edulis	1	Rehm, S. 1994. Multilingual dictionary of agronomic plants Note: as Carissa edulis
English	kunkerberry		as Carissa ovata	1	Botanic Gardens Trust. New South Wales flora online, PlantNET (on-line resource). Note: as Carissa ovata
Chinese	jia hu ci	假虎刺		2	Wu Zheng-yi & P. H. Raven et al., eds. 1994-. Flora of China (English edition).
Chinese	tian jia hu ci	甜假虎刺	as Carissa edulis	2	Wu Zheng-yi & P. H. Raven et al., eds. 1994-. Flora of China (English edition).
German	Karanda-Pflaume		as Carissa edulis	2	Erhardt, W. et al. 2008. Der große Zander: Enzyklopädie der Pflanzennamen 2:1279. Note: as Carissa edulis
Spanish	ciruela de Natal		as Carissa edulis	2	Rehm, S. 1994. Multilingual dictionary of agronomic plants Note: as Carissa edulis

Distribution

order_code	Status	Continent	Subcontinent	Country	State	Note	Reference
1	Native	Africa	East Tropical Africa	Kenya			Leeuwenberg, A. J. M. & F. J. H. van Dilst. 2001. Series of revisions of Apocynaceae XLIX. Carissa L. Agric. Univ. Wageningen Pap. 2001-1:35-70.
1	Native	Africa	East Tropical Africa	Tanzania			Leeuwenberg, A. J. M. & F. J. H. van Dilst. 2001. Series of revisions of Apocynaceae XLIX. Carissa L. Agric. Univ. Wageningen Pap. 2001-1:35-70.
1	Native	Africa	East Tropical Africa	Uganda			Leeuwenberg, A. J. M. & F. J. H. van Dilst. 2001. Series of revisions of Apocynaceae XLIX. Carissa L. Agric. Univ. Wageningen Pap. 2001-1:35-70.
1	Native	Africa	Northeast Tropical Africa	Chad			Leeuwenberg, A. J. M. & F. J. H. van Dilst. 2001. Series of revisions of Apocynaceae XLIX. Carissa L. Agric. Univ. Wageningen Pap. 2001-1:35-70.
1	Native	Africa	Northeast Tropical Africa	Djibouti			Leeuwenberg, A. J. M. & F. J. H. van Dilst. 2001. Series of revisions of Apocynaceae XLIX. Carissa L. Agric. Univ. Wageningen Pap. 2001-1:35-70.
1	Native	Africa	Northeast Tropical Africa	Eritrea			Leeuwenberg, A. J. M. & F. J. H. van Dilst. 2001. Series of revisions of Apocynaceae XLIX. Carissa L. Agric. Univ. Wageningen Pap. 2001-1:35-70.
1	Native	Africa	Northeast Tropical Africa	Ethiopia			Leeuwenberg, A. J. M. & F. J. H. van Dilst. 2001. Series of revisions of Apocynaceae XLIX. Carissa L. Agric. Univ. Wageningen Pap. 2001-1:35-70.
1	Native	Africa	Northeast Tropical Africa	Somalia			Leeuwenberg, A. J. M. & F. J. H. van Dilst. 2001. Series of revisions of Apocynaceae XLIX. Carissa L. Agric. Univ. Wageningen Pap. 2001-1:35-70.
1	Native	Africa	Northeast Tropical Africa	Yemen	Arkhabīl Suquţrá		Leeuwenberg, A. J. M. & F. J. H. van Dilst. 2001. Series of revisions of Apocynaceae XLIX. Carissa L. Agric. Univ. Wageningen Pap. 2001-1:35-70.
1	Native	Africa	Northern Africa	Egypt		s.	Leeuwenberg, A. J. M. & F. J. H. van Dilst. 2001. Series of revisions of Apocynaceae XLIX. Carissa L. Agric. Univ. Wageningen Pap. 2001-1:35-70.
1	Native	Africa	South Tropical Africa	Angola			Leeuwenberg, A. J. M. & F. J. H. van Dilst. 2001. Series of revisions of Apocynaceae XLIX. Carissa L. Agric. Univ. Wageningen Pap. 2001-1:35-70.
1	Native	Africa	South Tropical Africa	Malawi			Leeuwenberg, A. J. M. & F. J. H. van Dilst. 2001. Series of revisions of Apocynaceae XLIX. Carissa L. Agric. Univ. Wageningen Pap. 2001-1:35-70.
1	Native	Africa	South Tropical Africa	Mozambique			Leeuwenberg, A. J. M. & F. J. H. van Dilst. 2001. Series of revisions of Apocynaceae XLIX. Carissa L. Agric. Univ. Wageningen Pap. 2001-1:35-70.
1	Native	Africa	South Tropical Africa	Zambia			Leeuwenberg, A. J. M. & F. J. H. van Dilst. 2001. Series of revisions of Apocynaceae XLIX. Carissa L. Agric. Univ. Wageningen Pap. 2001-1:35-70.
1	Native	Africa	South Tropical Africa	Zimbabwe			Leeuwenberg, A. J. M. & F. J. H. van Dilst. 2001. Series of revisions of Apocynaceae XLIX. Carissa L. Agric. Univ. Wageningen Pap. 2001-1:35-70.
1	Native	Africa	Southern Africa	Botswana			Leeuwenberg, A. J. M. & F. J. H. van Dilst. 2001. Series of revisions of Apocynaceae XLIX. Carissa L. Agric. Univ. Wageningen Pap. 2001-1:35-70.
1	Native	Africa	Southern Africa	Namibia			Leeuwenberg, A. J. M. & F. J. H. van Dilst. 2001. Series of revisions of Apocynaceae XLIX. Carissa L. Agric. Univ. Wageningen Pap. 2001-1:35-70.
1	Native	Africa	Southern Africa	South Africa	Limpopo		Germishuizen, G. & N. L. Meyer, eds. 2003. Plants of southern Africa: an annotated checklist. Strelitzia 14 National Botanical Institute, Pretoria, South Africa.
1	Native	Africa	Southern Africa	South Africa	Mpumalanga		Germishuizen, G. & N. L. Meyer, eds. 2003. Plants of southern Africa: an annotated checklist. Strelitzia 14 National Botanical Institute, Pretoria, South Africa.
1	Native	Africa	West Tropical Africa	Benin			Leeuwenberg, A. J. M. & F. J. H. van Dilst. 2001. Series of revisions of Apocynaceae XLIX. Carissa L. Agric. Univ. Wageningen Pap. 2001-1:35-70.
1	Native	Africa	West Tropical Africa	Burkina Faso			Leeuwenberg, A. J. M. & F. J. H. van Dilst. 2001. Series of revisions of Apocynaceae XLIX. Carissa L. Agric. Univ. Wageningen Pap. 2001-1:35-70.
1	Native	Africa	West Tropical Africa	Côte D'Ivoire			Leeuwenberg, A. J. M. & F. J. H. van Dilst. 2001. Series of revisions of Apocynaceae XLIX. Carissa L. Agric. Univ. Wageningen Pap. 2001-1:35-70.
1	Native	Africa	West Tropical Africa	Ghana			Leeuwenberg, A. J. M. & F. J. H. van Dilst. 2001. Series of revisions of Apocynaceae XLIX. Carissa L. Agric. Univ. Wageningen Pap. 2001-1:35-70.
1	Native	Africa	West Tropical Africa	Guinea			Leeuwenberg, A. J. M. & F. J. H. van Dilst. 2001. Series of revisions of Apocynaceae XLIX. Carissa L. Agric. Univ. Wageningen Pap. 2001-1:35-70.
1	Native	Africa	West Tropical Africa	Guinea-Bissau			Leeuwenberg, A. J. M. & F. J. H. van Dilst. 2001. Series of revisions of Apocynaceae XLIX. Carissa L. Agric. Univ. Wageningen Pap. 2001-1:35-70.
1	Native	Africa	West Tropical Africa	Mali			Leeuwenberg, A. J. M. & F. J. H. van Dilst. 2001. Series of revisions of Apocynaceae XLIX. Carissa L. Agric. Univ. Wageningen Pap. 2001-1:35-70.
1	Native	Africa	West Tropical Africa	Nigeria			Leeuwenberg, A. J. M. & F. J. H. van Dilst. 2001. Series of revisions of Apocynaceae XLIX. Carissa L. Agric. Univ. Wageningen Pap. 2001-1:35-70.
1	Native	Africa	West Tropical Africa	Senegal			Leeuwenberg, A. J. M. & F. J. H. van Dilst. 2001. Series of revisions of Apocynaceae XLIX. Carissa L. Agric. Univ. Wageningen Pap. 2001-1:35-70.
1	Native	Africa	West Tropical Africa	Sierra Leone			Leeuwenberg, A. J. M. & F. J. H. van Dilst. 2001. Series of revisions of Apocynaceae XLIX. Carissa L. Agric. Univ. Wageningen Pap. 2001-1:35-70.
1	Native	Africa	West Tropical Africa	Togo			Leeuwenberg, A. J. M. & F. J. H. van Dilst. 2001. Series of revisions of Apocynaceae XLIX. Carissa L. Agric. Univ. Wageningen Pap. 2001-1:35-70.
1	Native	Africa	West-Central Tropical Africa	Burundi			Leeuwenberg, A. J. M. & F. J. H. van Dilst. 2001. Series of revisions of Apocynaceae XLIX. Carissa L. Agric. Univ. Wageningen Pap. 2001-1:35-70.
1	Native	Africa	West-Central Tropical Africa	Cameroon			Leeuwenberg, A. J. M. & F. J. H. van Dilst. 2001. Series of revisions of Apocynaceae XLIX. Carissa L. Agric. Univ. Wageningen Pap. 2001-1:35-70.
1	Native	Africa	West-Central Tropical Africa	Central African Republic			Leeuwenberg, A. J. M. & F. J. H. van Dilst. 2001. Series of revisions of Apocynaceae XLIX. Carissa L. Agric. Univ. Wageningen Pap. 2001-1:35-70.
1	Native	Africa	West-Central Tropical Africa	Democratic Republic of the Congo			Leeuwenberg, A. J. M. & F. J. H. van Dilst. 2001. Series of revisions of Apocynaceae XLIX. Carissa L. Agric. Univ. Wageningen Pap. 2001-1:35-70.
1	Native	Africa	West-Central Tropical Africa	Rwanda			Leeuwenberg, A. J. M. & F. J. H. van Dilst. 2001. Series of revisions of Apocynaceae XLIX. Carissa L. Agric. Univ. Wageningen Pap. 2001-1:35-70.
1	Native	Africa	Western Indian Ocean	Comoros			Leeuwenberg, A. J. M. & F. J. H. van Dilst. 2001. Series of revisions of Apocynaceae XLIX. Carissa L. Agric. Univ. Wageningen Pap. 2001-1:35-70.
1	Native	Africa	Western Indian Ocean	Madagascar			Leeuwenberg, A. J. M. & F. J. H. van Dilst. 2001. Series of revisions of Apocynaceae XLIX. Carissa L. Agric. Univ. Wageningen Pap. 2001-1:35-70.
1	Native	Africa	Western Indian Ocean	Mauritius			Leeuwenberg, A. J. M. & F. J. H. van Dilst. 2001. Series of revisions of Apocynaceae XLIX. Carissa L. Agric. Univ. Wageningen Pap. 2001-1:35-70.
1	Native	Africa	Western Indian Ocean	Reunion			Leeuwenberg, A. J. M. & F. J. H. van Dilst. 2001. Series of revisions of Apocynaceae XLIX. Carissa L. Agric. Univ. Wageningen Pap. 2001-1:35-70.
1	Native	Africa	Western Indian Ocean	Seychelles			Leeuwenberg, A. J. M. & F. J. H. van Dilst. 2001. Series of revisions of Apocynaceae XLIX. Carissa L. Agric. Univ. Wageningen Pap. 2001-1:35-70.
1	Native	Asia-Temperate	Arabian Peninsula	Oman			Leeuwenberg, A. J. M. & F. J. H. van Dilst. 2001. Series of revisions of Apocynaceae XLIX. Carissa L. Agric. Univ. Wageningen Pap. 2001-1:35-70.
1	Native	Asia-Temperate	Arabian Peninsula	Saudi Arabia			Leeuwenberg, A. J. M. & F. J. H. van Dilst. 2001. Series of revisions of Apocynaceae XLIX. Carissa L. Agric. Univ. Wageningen Pap. 2001-1:35-70.
1	Native	Asia-Temperate	Arabian Peninsula	Yemen			Leeuwenberg, A. J. M. & F. J. H. van Dilst. 2001. Series of revisions of Apocynaceae XLIX. Carissa L. Agric. Univ. Wageningen Pap. 2001-1:35-70.
1	Native	Asia-Temperate	China	China	Guizhou Sheng		Wu Zheng-yi & P. H. Raven et al., eds. 1994-. Flora of China (English edition).
1	Native	Asia-Temperate	China	China	Sichuan Sheng		Wu Zheng-yi & P. H. Raven et al., eds. 1994-. Flora of China (English edition).
1	Native	Asia-Temperate	China	China	Yunnan Sheng		Wu Zheng-yi & P. H. Raven et al., eds. 1994-. Flora of China (English edition).
1	Native	Asia-Tropical	Indian Subcontinent	Bangladesh			Leeuwenberg, A. J. M. & F. J. H. van Dilst. 2001. Series of revisions of Apocynaceae XLIX. Carissa L. Agric. Univ. Wageningen Pap. 2001-1:35-70.
1	Native	Asia-Tropical	Indian Subcontinent	India			Leeuwenberg, A. J. M. & F. J. H. van Dilst. 2001. Series of revisions of Apocynaceae XLIX. Carissa L. Agric. Univ. Wageningen Pap. 2001-1:35-70.
1	Native	Asia-Tropical	Indian Subcontinent	Nepal			Leeuwenberg, A. J. M. & F. J. H. van Dilst. 2001. Series of revisions of Apocynaceae XLIX. Carissa L. Agric. Univ. Wageningen Pap. 2001-1:35-70.
1	Native	Asia-Tropical	Indian Subcontinent	Pakistan			Leeuwenberg, A. J. M. & F. J. H. van Dilst. 2001. Series of revisions of Apocynaceae XLIX. Carissa L. Agric. Univ. Wageningen Pap. 2001-1:35-70.
1	Native	Asia-Tropical	Indian Subcontinent	Sri Lanka			Dassanayake, M. D. & F. R. Fosberg, eds. 1980-. A revised handbook to the flora of Ceylon.
1	Native	Asia-Tropical	Indo-China	Cambodia			Leeuwenberg, A. J. M. & F. J. H. van Dilst. 2001. Series of revisions of Apocynaceae XLIX. Carissa L. Agric. Univ. Wageningen Pap. 2001-1:35-70.
1	Native	Asia-Tropical	Indo-China	Laos			Leeuwenberg, A. J. M. & F. J. H. van Dilst. 2001. Series of revisions of Apocynaceae XLIX. Carissa L. Agric. Univ. Wageningen Pap. 2001-1:35-70.
1	Native	Asia-Tropical	Indo-China	Myanmar			Leeuwenberg, A. J. M. & F. J. H. van Dilst. 2001. Series of revisions of Apocynaceae XLIX. Carissa L. Agric. Univ. Wageningen Pap. 2001-1:35-70.
1	Native	Asia-Tropical	Indo-China	Thailand			Leeuwenberg, A. J. M. & F. J. H. van Dilst. 2001. Series of revisions of Apocynaceae XLIX. Carissa L. Agric. Univ. Wageningen Pap. 2001-1:35-70.
1	Native	Asia-Tropical	Indo-China	Vietnam			Leeuwenberg, A. J. M. & F. J. H. van Dilst. 2001. Series of revisions of Apocynaceae XLIX. Carissa L. Agric. Univ. Wageningen Pap. 2001-1:35-70.
1	Native	Asia-Tropical	Malesia	Indonesia	Maluku	Aru Islands	Steenis, C. G. G. J. van, ed. 1948-. Flora malesiana.
1	Native	Asia-Tropical	Papuasia	Indonesia	Papua		Steenis, C. G. G. J. van, ed. 1948-. Flora malesiana.
1	Native	Asia-Tropical	Papuasia	Papua New Guinea			Leeuwenberg, A. J. M. & F. J. H. van Dilst. 2001. Series of revisions of Apocynaceae XLIX. Carissa L. Agric. Univ. Wageningen Pap. 2001-1:35-70.
1	Native	Australasia	Australia	Australia	New South Wales		Leeuwenberg, A. J. M. & F. J. H. van Dilst. 2001. Series of revisions of Apocynaceae XLIX. Carissa L. Agric. Univ. Wageningen Pap. 2001-1:35-70.
1	Native	Australasia	Australia	Australia	Northern Territory		Leeuwenberg, A. J. M. & F. J. H. van Dilst. 2001. Series of revisions of Apocynaceae XLIX. Carissa L. Agric. Univ. Wageningen Pap. 2001-1:35-70.
1	Native	Australasia	Australia	Australia	Queensland		Leeuwenberg, A. J. M. & F. J. H. van Dilst. 2001. Series of revisions of Apocynaceae XLIX. Carissa L. Agric. Univ. Wageningen Pap. 2001-1:35-70.
1	Native	Australasia	Australia	Australia	Western Australia		Leeuwenberg, A. J. M. & F. J. H. van Dilst. 2001. Series of revisions of Apocynaceae XLIX. Carissa L. Agric. Univ. Wageningen Pap. 2001-1:35-70.
1	Native	Pacific	Southwestern Pacific	New Caledonia			Leeuwenberg, A. J. M. & F. J. H. van Dilst. 2001. Series of revisions of Apocynaceae XLIX. Carissa L. Agric. Univ. Wageningen Pap. 2001-1:35-70.

Native
Africa

NORTHERN AFRICA: Egypt (s.)
NORTHEAST TROPICAL AFRICA: Djibouti, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Somalia, Chad, Yemen [Arkhabīl Suquţrá]
EAST TROPICAL AFRICA: Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda
WEST-CENTRAL TROPICAL AFRICA: Burundi, Central African Republic, Cameroon, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Rwanda
WEST TROPICAL AFRICA: Benin, Burkina Faso, Côte D'Ivoire, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Mali, Nigeria, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Togo
SOUTH TROPICAL AFRICA: Angola, Mozambique, Malawi, Zambia, Zimbabwe
SOUTHERN AFRICA: Botswana, Namibia, South Africa [Limpopo, Mpumalanga]
WESTERN INDIAN OCEAN: Comoros, Madagascar, Mauritius, Reunion, Seychelles

Asia-Temperate

ARABIAN PENINSULA: Oman, Saudi Arabia, Yemen
CHINA: China [Guizhou Sheng, Sichuan Sheng, Yunnan Sheng]

Asia-Tropical

INDIAN SUBCONTINENT: Bangladesh, India, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Pakistan
PAPUASIA: Indonesia [Papua], Papua New Guinea
INDO-CHINA: Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand, Vietnam
MALESIA: Indonesia [Maluku (Aru Islands)]

Australasia

AUSTRALIA: Australia [New South Wales, Queensland, Western Australia, Northern Territory]

Pacific

SOUTHWESTERN PACIFIC: New Caledonia

Reference(s)

Dassanayake, M. D. & F. R. Fosberg, eds. 1980-. A revised handbook to the flora of Ceylon.
Germishuizen, G. & N. L. Meyer, eds. 2003. Plants of southern Africa: an annotated checklist. Strelitzia 14 National Botanical Institute, Pretoria, South Africa.
Leeuwenberg, A. J. M. & F. J. H. van Dilst. 2001. Series of revisions of Apocynaceae XLIX. Carissa L. Agric. Univ. Wageningen Pap. 2001-1:35-70.
Steenis, C. G. G. J. van, ed. 1948-. Flora malesiana.
Wu Zheng-yi & P. H. Raven et al., eds. 1994-. Flora of China (English edition).

Economic Uses

Usage	Type	Note	Reference
Human food	fruit	as Carissa edulis	Kunkel, G. 1984. Plants for human consumption Note: as Carissa edulis
Human food	fruit	as Carissa edulis	Wu Zheng-yi & P. H. Raven et al., eds. 1994-. Flora of China (English edition). Note: as Carissa edulis
Medicines	folklore	as Carissa edulis	Wu Zheng-yi & P. H. Raven et al., eds. 1994-. Flora of China (English edition).

Cite as: USDA, Agricultural Research Service, National Plant Germplasm System. 2026. Germplasm Resources Information Network (GRIN Taxonomy). National Germplasm Resources Laboratory, Beltsville, Maryland.
URL: https://npgstest.ars-grin.gov/gringlobal/taxon/taxonomydetail?id=9166. Accessed 15 April 2026.