African apricot, African mammey apple
Mammea africana

Family: Calophyllaceae

What it is like

A large tree. It grows to 30 m high. The trunk is 4 m across. The bark is dark orange or yellow. It flakes off in scales. The leaves are opposite. They are 12.5-25 cm long by 5-7,5 cm wide. The sap is yellow. The flowers are about 3.5 cm across. They have white petals and yellow stamens. They occur singly or a few in a group is the axils of leaves. They have a strong straight stalk 3.5 cm long. The fruit are on thick stalks. The fruit are round and 10 cm across. They turn orange when ripe. They have a thick skin covered with warts. There are 3 or more hard seeds. The seeds are 5 cm long and have fibrous coats. The pulp of the fruit is yellow and edible.

There are about 27-50 Mammea species. They grow in the tropics. Also put in the family Clusiaceae.

Where it is found

It is a tropical plant. It grows in forest. It also grows in seasonally flooded areas. It suits hot, tropical lowlands and monsoonal climates.

Countries/locations it is found in

Africa, Angola, Benin, Cameroon, Central Africa, Central African Republic, CAR, Congo DR, Congo R, Côte d'Ivoire, Cuba, East Africa, Gabon, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea-Bissau, Ivory Coast, Liberia, Nigeria, Sao Tome and Principe, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Togo, Uganda, West Africa, West Indies

How it is used for food

The ripe fruit are eaten fresh. The seeds are eaten. The seed oil is used as cooking fat.

Edible parts

Nuts, seeds, fruit, seeds - oil

How it is grown

Plants are grown from seed. Seeds germinate slowly taking up to 8 months. They should be soaked in water for 24 hours before planting.

Seedlings grow slowly. Fruit production is seasonal. In Central African Republic fruit have been recorded in November.

Its other names

Local names

Abodzok, Abotzok, Aliga, B'huliti, Bokodji, Bolele, Boliti, Bompagya, Boto, Dimbu dingi, Djimbo, Ebot, Kaikomba, Kaikombeu, Kiaikombe, Mafambu, Mamey africano, M'bossi, Moboto, Oboto, Oliti, Ologbomodu

Synonyms

Garcinia golaensis Hutch. & Dalziel; Mammea ebboro Pierre; Mammea gilletii De Wild.; Mammea giorgiana De Wild.; Ochrocarpus africanus (Sabine) Oliver;