Christiana africana
Family: Malvaceae
What it is like
A low spreading tree. It grows to 12 m high. The trunk is 1 m across. The crown is spreading. The bark is grey and cracked. The small branches are reddish-brown. They have short hairs. The leaves are large and heart shaped. They are 12-30 cm long by 8-32 cm wide. They are broadly oval. They are heart shaped at the base and taper to the tip. The leaf stalk is 3.5-12 cm long. The flowers are white and have a scent. The occur in stalked clusters in the axils of leaves. The fruit consist of 1-5 separate parts. These are brown and velvety. The fruit splits into 2 boat shaped pieces. The seed is marbled.
There is only one (five) Christiana species. It has also been put in the family Tiliaceae. Also put in the family Brownlowiaceae.
Where it is found
It is a tropical plant. It grows along the edges of streams. It is often in the drier parts of the forest zone. It can be on the edges of mangroves. It can be in seasonally flooded forest.
Countries/locations it is found in
Africa, Angola, Benin, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Central Africa, Central African Republic, CAR, Congo R, Côte d'Ivoire, Ghana, Guinea, Guinée, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Ivory Coast, Liberia, Madagascar, Nigeria, Senegal, Sierra Leone, South America, Sudan, Togo, Venezuela, West Africa
How it is used for food
Edible parts
Leaves
How it is grown
Its other names
Local names
Asa, Aviavavy, Boroboka, Sesedula