Anonidium mannii
(Oliv.) Engl. et Diels
Junglesop
(c) Bart Wursten, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by Bart Wursten
(c) Gwili Gibbon, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC)
What to Eat
Edible parts: Fruit
Fruit - large, with a good flavour. Well-fleshed, with a sweet-sour taste. The soft, yellow flesh can vary from sweet and delicious to somewhat sour. The fruit is around 25 - 50 cm x 20 - 30 cm. It can weigh up to 7 kilos.
Where to Find It
A tropical plant. It grows in forests along rivers.
Africa, Cameroon, Central Africa, Central African Republic, CAR, Congo DR, Congo R, East Africa, Gabon, Ghana, Nigeria, West Africa,
How to Identify
A tree. It grows to 30 m high. The trunk is 80 cm across. The leaves are large and papery. They are alternate and oblong to sword shaped and 30 cm long by 10 cm wide. They have short leaf stalks. The flowering stalks are 30 cm long. The flowers are brownish or yellow green. The petals are thick and leathery. The fruit is large and elongated. They are golden yellow. The flesh is soft and yellow.
How to Grow
Plants are grown from seed. Seeds are often slow to germinate.
Medicinal Uses
A decoction of the bark is used in the treatment of gastro-intestinal affections, dysenteriform diarrhoeas and ovarian troubles, and sometimes for coughs. The powdered bark is given to epileptics to eat or to ill persons suffering from giddiness. Externally, the powdered bark is put on sores, snake bites and to maturate buboes. The bark scrapings, passed over a fire and wrapped in a Marantacea leaf, are applied as a poultice for feverish pains, oedemas and rheumatism. They are also put in a little boiling water and used as a vapour bath. The macerated bark-raspings are given as an enema for colic. A trace of alkaloids is reported present in the leaves, bark and roots.
Wikipedia
Source ↗Anonidium mannii, the junglesop, is a fast-growing tropical African tree that grows to 8–30 m high, with a girth of up to 2 m. It has 20–40 cm long leaves and large flowers which produce edible fruits generally around 4–6 kg, but which can be up to around 15 kg. Fruit flavor is rich but variable and is sometimes described as an acquired taste, though the fruits are generally in high demand in Africa, with large fruits commanding high prices. The fruit is a favorite with local people (who refer to it as "bobo") and local primates, especially bonobos.
Production
Plants flower in February and March. A fruit can weigh 4-7 kg. In Congo the fruiting season is July to October.
Other Information
It is astringent so it only eaten in small amounts.
Names & Synonyms
Aguton, Anguta, Anguto, Asumpa, Bobo, Bobombi, Bolinda, Bombi, Bondenge, Ebambu, Ebom, Ebombi, Efue, Imido, Jaese, Keche buchu, Mbe, Mbombi, Mo bai, Mobe, Moombi, Mundenge, Mvumbi, Nbwe, Ngongou, Ombe, Taku, Ta'u
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