Angular pod, Aridan tree
Tetrapleura tetraptera

Family: Fabaceae

What it is like

A deciduous tree. It grows 15-30 m tall. It has a straight trunk and a rounded crown. Sometimes the branches are layered and spreading. Large trees have small buttresses. The bark is thin and grey brown. It can be smooth or rough with shallow cracks. The leaves are twice divided. The leaf stalk is 8-23 cm long with 5-8 pairs of side branches with leaflets. Each of these stalks then has 6-12 leaflets one after another along opposite sides of it. These leaflets are oblong and 1-2 cm long. The tip of them is notched. They are softly hairy underneath. The flowers are on spikes beside the leaves. These are 4-14 cm long and one or two of them occur together. The flowers are small and yellow to pink to brown. The fruit is a woody pod with four wings. It smells of caramel. These pods are 12-23 cm long and can be straight or slightly curved. They are shiny and purple brown to black. The wings on each side have soft sugary pulp inside. This is edible. The seeds are in separate sections and rattle within the mature pod. The seeds are hard and dark brown. They are less than 1 m long.

Also as Mimosaceae.

Where it is found

A tropical plant. It grows in lowland tropical rainforest. It suits humid locations. It can grow in arid places.

Countries/locations it is found in

Africa, Angola, Asia, Benin, Burkina Faso, Cambodia, Cameroon, Central Africa, Central African Republic, CAR, Chad, Congo DR, Congo R, Côte d'Ivoire, East Africa, Gabon, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinée, Guinea-Bissau, India, Indonesia, Ivory Coast, Kenya, Liberia, Mali, Mauritania, Niger, Nigeria, Sao Tome and Principe, SE Asia, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Sudan, Tanzania, Togo, Uganda, West Africa

How it is used for food

The pulp in the wings of the pods is eaten after it is ground and roasted. It is sweet and used in soups, sauces and other foods. The pulp is soaked in palm wine to flavour it. The charred fruit is used to flavour drinking water.

It is sold in local markets.

Edible parts

Leaves, seeds, fruit wings and ridges, spice

How it is grown

Plants can be grown from seed. Seeds need to be separated out from the fleshy pulp before planting. The seed should be soaked in cold water for 24 hours before planting. Seed can be stored in a sealed container in a cool place. Plants can be budded.

Its other names

Local names

Aidan, Aidon, Akpa, Angulu, Apwa, Arida, Aridan, Badiok, Bonome, Dawo, Djaga, Edeminan, Esehese, Eshuk, Essekseke, Essesse, Ezibil, Ighimiakia, Kisekenumpa, Kpokiriopo, Kpwa, Matchom, Ngon, Nkouarsa, Pohon munyegenye, Prekese, Quatre cote, Shokirisho, Uhokiriho, Ushakirisha, Zien

Synonyms

Tetrapleura thonningii Benth.; Adenanthera tetrapleura Schum. & Thonn.;