Pouteria adolfi-friederici — Edible Plant Database

What to Eat

Edible parts: Seeds for oil, Fruit

The seeds are eaten and contain edible oil; the fruit is also consumed.

Known Hazards

The heartwood is greyish-brown, and not clearly distinguishable from the sapwood. The timber is not very durable and is susceptible to attack by termites, fungi and boring insects. It is used to make furniture, and is also used for light construction work, flooring, joinery, cabinet work, boats, boxes, crates, veneers and plywood. It makes good firewood and is used to make charcoal. The tree is used to provide shade in plantations, and can be pollarded and coppiced. The greenish flesh of the fruits can be eaten raw, and an edible oil can be extracted from the seeds. In traditional medicine, the tree's bark has been used to treat stomach problems and the fruit, to expel tape worms, but when used for this purpose it is rather slow-acting and moderately toxic.

Where to Find It

A tropical plant. It grows in Uganda at altitudes of 1,200-2,100 m above sea level. It is in lower mountain forests.

Africa, Burundi, Central Africa, Congo DR, East Africa, Ethiopia, Kenya, Malawi, Southern Africa, Sudan, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia, Zimbabwe,

Countries: Angola, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Benin, Botswana, Congo (DRC), Central African Republic, Congo (Republic), Cote d'Ivoire, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Djibouti, Algeria, Egypt, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Gabon, Ghana, Gambia, Guinea, Equatorial Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Kenya, Comoros, Liberia, Lesotho, Libya, Morocco, Madagascar, Mali, Mauritania, Mauritius, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, Niger, Nigeria, Rwanda, Seychelles, Sudan, Sierra Leone, Senegal, Somalia, South Sudan, Sao Tome & Principe, Eswatini, Chad, Togo, Tunisia, Tanzania, Uganda, South Africa, Zambia, Zimbabwe

How to Identify

A very tall tree. It grows up to 50 m high. It has a clear straight trunk up to about 16 m then branches. Mature trees have buttresses at the base. The bark is pale grey-brown. If the bark is cut is produces white latex with an unpleasant smell. The flower and leaf stalks have golden-brown hairs. The leaves are stiff and large. They are 22 cm long by 8 cm across. The top leaf surface is dark shiny green. The leaves are hairy and pale orange underneath. There are 10-20 pairs of prominent veins. The tip of the leaf is pointed. Flowers are creamy-white. They are very small and in clusters beside the leaves. The fruit are hard and narrow with a beak. They are 4 cm long and green. Inside there is one shiny brown seed. It is 3 cm long. It has a large white scar. Possibly now Aningeria adolfi-friedericii (Engl.) Robyns & Gilbert; Possibly now

How to Grow

It can be grown from seed. Seed should be sown fresh. Seed will not store well.

Medicinal Uses

Traditional uses include the nut as food and the seed oil as edible oil.

Production

The tree is slow growing. The fruit mature in April in Uganda.

Names & Synonyms

Chepkatet, Kipkoibet, Kipworbet, Luliondet, Lulyo, Muna, Mutunguru, Mwiruni, Nejebbe, Ngechebet, Nychebbe, Seite

Aningeria adolfi-friedericii (Engl.) Robyns & GilbertAningeria adolfi-friedericii subsp. keniensis J. H. Hemsl.Pouteria adolfi-friedericii subsp. adolfi-friedericiiPouteria ferruginea Chiov.Pouteria rufinervis Chiov.Malacantha sp. sensu East African Herbarium recordsSersalisia ferruginea Chiov.Sideroxylon adolfi-friedericii Engl.

References (12)

Bekele-Tesemma A., Birnie, A., & Tengnas, B., 1993, Useful Trees and Shrubs for Ethiopia. Regional Soil Conservation Unit. Technical Handbook No 5. p 86
Dale, I. R. and Greenway, P. J., 1961, Kenya Trees and Shrubs. Nairobi. p 509 (As Aningeria adolfi-friederici)
East African Herbarium records, 1981,
Katende, A.B., Birnie, A & Tengnas B., 1995, Useful Trees and Shrubs for Uganda. Identification, Propagation and Management for Agricultural and Pastoral Communities. Technical handbook No 10. Regional Soil Conservation Unit, Nairobi, Kenya. p 98
Lovett, J. C. et al, Field Guide to the Moist Forest Trees of Tanzania. p 166 (subsp. usambarensis)
Molla, A., Ethiopian Plant Names. http://www.ethiopic.com/aplants.htm
Nzigidahera, B., 2006, Assessment of Socio-cultural, Economic Characteristics and Livelihood of Riparian Population of the Kibira National Park. (Rukoma-Mutana locality). UNDP p 30 (As Aningeria adolfi-friederici)
Palgrave, K.C., 1996, Trees of Southern Africa. Struik Publishers. p 724
Peters, C. R., O'Brien, E. M., and Drummond, R.B., 1992, Edible Wild plants of Sub-saharan Africa. Kew. p 181
White, F., Dowsett-Lemaire, F. and Chapman, J. D., 2001, Evergreen Forest Flora of Malawi. Kew. p 540 (As Pouteria)
World Checklist of Useful Plant Species 2020. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew
www.zimbabweflora.co.zw 2011