A-bata
Acridocarpus spectabilis

Family: Malpighiaceae

What it is like

A shrub or small tree. It grows 5 m tall. There are prickles along the stem. The leaves are twice divided and there are 8-18 pairs of pinnae. There are up to 50 pairs of pinnules on each pinnae. The flowers are yellow. They are in large clusters at the ends of branches. The pods are flattened.

Where it is found

It is a tropical plant. It grows in wooded savannah along rivers.

Countries/locations it is found in

Africa, Benin, Côte d'Ivoire, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea-Bissau, Ivory Coast, Mali, Senegal, Togo, West Africa

How it is used for food

The root is chewed. It is bitter.

Edible parts

Root

How it is grown

It can probably be grown by seed or cuttings.

Its other names

Local names

Synonyms

Acridocarpus hemicyclopterus Sprague; Acridocarpus kerstingii Engl.; Rhinopterys angustifolia Sprague; Rhinopterys kerstingii (Engl.) Niedenzu; Rhinopterys spectabilis Niedenzu;