Calpocalyx brevibracteatus
Family: Fabaceae
What it is like
A small tree. It grows 15-30 m high. The trunk is straight and cylinder shaped. It is 50 cm across. The bark is dark grey. The leaves are alternate and twice divided. The side leaflets are 15-20 cm long with 5-6 pairs of smaller leaflets. These are 7-15 cm long by 2-6 cm wide. The flowers are in a spike 6-10 cm long in the axils of leaves or at the ends of branches. The flowers are pink to orange. The fruit are pods up to 17 cm long and 4.5 cm wide. They are flattened and taper to the base and are rounded at the tip. There are 5-10 seeds. These are angular and flattened. The seeds are 4-5 cm long.
There are 3-6 Calpocalyx species. Also as Mimosaceae.
Where it is found
A tropical plant. It grows in evergreen forest on moist soils. It is often along rivers. It does well in areas with 2,500 mm of rain per year. It can grow on a range of soils.
Countries/locations it is found in
Africa, Benin, Cameroon, Central Africa, Côte d'Ivoire, Ghana, Ivory Coast, Liberia, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, Togo, West Africa
How it is used for food
The seeds are edible after cooking.
Edible parts
Seeds
How it is grown
The pods split open explosively scattering the seeds.
Its other names
Local names
Akeba, Baa, Bao, Kolei