Chlamydocola chlamydantha

Family: Malvaceae

What it is like

A tree. It grows up to 20 m high. The trunk is straight and 30 cm across. The outer bark is brown and flaking. The leaves are alternate and near the ends of branches. They are compound with 5-10 leaflets spread out like fingers on a hand. The leaf stalk is 10-80 cm long. The leaflets can be 60 cm long by 20 cm wide. They are wedge shaped at the base and taper to the tip. The flowers can be of one or both sexes. The flower tube is grey outside and red or purple inside. The fruit is made up of 9-12 dry fruit sections in a ring. They are curved and 6-15 cm long by 3-6 cm wide. They contain 7-25 seeds. The seeds are flattened and 2-3 cm long by about 1 cm wide. They are bright red.

Also put in the family Sterculiaceae.

Where it is found

A tropical plant. It grows in deciduous and evergreen forest. It is often in humid areas.

Countries/locations it is found in

Africa, Benin, Cameroon, Central Africa, Central African Republic, CAR, Congo, Côte d'Ivoire, Equatorial-Guinea, Gabon, Ghana, Guinea, Guinée, Ivory Coast, Liberia, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, Togo, West Africa

How it is used for food

The fruit pulp is eaten. It is sweet/sour. The seeds are chewed instead of Cola but are inferior.

Edible parts

Fruit pulp, seeds, vegetable

How it is grown

The tree should not be grown near cacao as it helps spread Cacao Swollen Shoot virus.

Its other names

Local names

Akom ngwe, Ngolo-ngolo

Synonyms

Cola chlamydantha K. Schum.;