African pearwood
Manilkara obovata

Family: Sapotaceae

What it is like

A tree. It grows 30 m high. The trunk is long, straight and clean and 1 m across. It is fluted at the base. The crown is small. The bark is grey. The leaves are simple and alternate. They are clustered at the ends of branches. The leaves are 3-10 cm long by 2-6 cm wide. They are broadly oval and wedge shaped. They are hairy underneath when young. The flowers are in groups in the axils where older leaves have fallen. They are white.

There are about 75 Manilkara species.

Where it is found

A tropical plant. It grows near lagoons and rivers. It can grow in lowland forest. In Tanzania it grows between 1,100-1,300 m above sea level and to 1,400 m in Nigeria. It can be cultivated in swampy areas.

Countries/locations it is found in

Africa, Angola, Benin, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Central Africa, Congo, Congo R, Côte d'Ivoire, East Africa, Gabon, Ghana, Ivory Coast, Liberia, Mali, Nigeria, Sao Tome and Principe, Sierra Leone, Tanzania, Togo, Uganda, West Africa, Zambia

How it is used for food

The ripe fruit can be eaten fresh. Often fruit are collected and left in the shade for about 2 days to ripen. Fruit can be dried and stored and eaten later.

Edible parts

Fruit

How it is grown

Plants can be grown from seeds.

In Tanzania ripe fruit are collected from March to June. Dried fruit can be stored for several weeks.

Its other names

Local names

Beh, Berekankum, Lon, Manan, Mbue, Mgama, Mgambo, Monghinza, Mshezi, Sako-beh, Sisina

Synonyms

Chrysophyllum holtzii Engl.; Chrysophyllum obovatum Sabine & G.Don; Kaukenia cuneifolia (Baker) Kuntze; Kaukenia lacera (Baker) Kuntze; Kaukenia multinervis (Baker) Kuntze; Manilkara angolensis (Engl.) Lecomte ex Pellegr.; Manilkara argentea Pierre ex Dubard; Manilkara cuneifolia (Baker) Dubard; Manilkara dahomeyensis Pierre ex Dubard [Invalid]; Manilkara densiflora (Baker) H.J.Lam [Illegitimate]; Manilkara lacera (Baker) Dubard; Manilkara maclaudii Pierre ex Lecomte; Manilkara maclaudii var. membranacea Pierre ex Lecomte; Manilkara multinervis (Baker) Dubard; Manilkara multinervis subsp. argentea (Pierre ex Dubard) Aubrév.; Manilkara multinervis subsp. atacorensis Aubrév.; Manilkara multinervis subsp. matanou Aubrév.; Manilkara multinervis var. poissonii Dubard; Manilkara multinervis subsp. schweinfurthii (Baill.) J.H.Hemsl.; Manilkara propinqua (S.Moore) H.J.Lam; Manilkara remotifolia Pierre ex Dubard; Manilkara schweinfurthii (Baill.) Dubard; Manilkara schweinfurthii var. chevalieri (Pierre) Dubard; Manilkara welwitschii (Engl.) Dubard; Mimusops angolensis Engl.; Mimusops atacorensis A.Chev. [Invalid]; Mimusops chevalieri Pierre; Mimusops cuneifolia Baker; Mimusops densiflora Baker; Mimusops djalonensis A.Chev. [Invalid]; Mimusops lacera Baker; Mimusops multinervis Baker; Mimusops propinqua S. Moore; Mimusops schweinfurthii Engl. [Illegitimate]; Mimusops schweinfurthii Baill.; Mimusops welwitschii Engl.;