Dila, Aisen
Boscia senegalensis

Family: Capparaceae

What it is like

An evergreen shrub. It normally grows 1-2 m high but can be 4-10 m tall. It has a spreading round crown. The young twigs have short soft hairs. The bark is smooth and grey. The leaves are a matt green colour. The have many distinct veins. They are oval and 12 cm long by 4 cm wide. Under the leaf the veins are white and form a many sided pattern. The flowers are hairy and greenish white. They occur in small clusters on small stalks. The fruit are round berries about 1.5 cm across. They become yellow when mature. They have a hard crust. The flesh lets light through and in jelly like. There are usually 1-2 seeds per berry. The seeds are flattened on the under side. There are 2500-3500 seeds per kg.

Chemical composition (after Berry-Koch) (g/mg/mcg per 100g) (dried): Protein = 21g. Fat = 1.6g. Calcium = 123 mg. Fe = 6.8 mg. Beta carotene = 165 mcg Vitamin B1 = .02 mg. Vitamin B2 = .03 mg. Niacin = 8.8 mg. Vitamin C = 5 mg. Kcal = 341; (cooked): Protein = 5.4g. Fat = 0.2g. Calcium = 33 mg. Fe = 2.8 mg. Beta carotene = 25 mcg. Vitamin B1 = .01 mg. Kcal = 92. (after Abdelmuti) (un- debittered): Protein (crude) = 29.3%. Oil = 0.7%. Ash = 3.5%. Fibre (crude) = 2.7%. Carbohydrate (soluble) (starch) = 39.5%; (sugars): Sucrose = 4.3%. D-glucose = 0.2%. D-fructose = 0.7%. Amino acids (g [16g N]-1): Aspartic acid = 7.7g. Threonine = 1.7g. Serine = 2.3g. Glutamic acid = 9.0g. Proline = 6.5g. Glycine = 3.5g. Alanine = 3.2g. Valine = 4.5g. Cysteine (performic acid oxidation) = 1.3g. Methionine (performic acid oxidation) = 1.8g. Isoleucine = 2.9g. Leucine = 7.0g. Tyrosine = 2.3g. Histidine = 1.3g. Lysine = 1.5g. Arginine = 15.1g. Minerals: Sulphur = 2.20 mg/kg-1 (dry). Potassium = 0.15%-1 (dry). Magnesium = 0.10% (dry). Calcium = 0.14% (dry). Na = 0.01% (dry). K = 1.03 mg/kg-% (dry). Zinc = 42 mg/kg-1 (dry). Iron = 10.5 mg/kg-1 (dry). Manganese = 17 mg/kg-1 (dry). Copper = 8 mg/kg-1 (dry). There are 37 Boscia species.

Where it is found

It is a tropical plant. It grows naturally in the dry savannah regions of Africa. It grows in the Sahel and the Sahara. It can tolerate very high temperatures. (40-45°C). Plants grow from sea level to 1300 m altitude. They grow best with a rainfall of 250-600 mm but can grow with rainfalls of 100-300 mm. They grow on a range of poor arid soils. It can grow in arid places.

Countries/locations it is found in

Africa, Algeria, Benin, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Central Africa, Central African Republic, CAR, Chad, Côte d'Ivoire, East Africa, Egypt, Ethiopia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinée, Ivory Coast, Kenya, Malawi, Mali, Mauritania, Mediterranean, Morocco, Niger, Nigeria, North Africa, Sahel, Senegal, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan, Togo, West Africa, Zambia

How it is used for food

The outer flesh of the berries is eaten while they are young. The seeds are used as a famine food in emergencies. They need to be treated. (They are soaked for several hours with several changes of water. The seeds are then boiled with potash then soaked in cold water. ) The roasted seeds are used as a coffee substitute. The leaves are sometimes eaten after crushing in water, drying then reduced to a powder and cooking.

In the Sudan and Mali the plant is an important food. It is a staple food during famines.

Edible parts

Seeds, leaves, fruit, caution, vegetable

How it is grown

Plants are mostly self sown from seed. They can also be grown from stem cuttings.

Flowering occurs in the cool dry season. Fruit ripen at the beginning of the rainy season.

Its other names

Local names

Akondok, Anza, Bere, Diendoum, Dilo, Eyzzen, Hamta, Hanza, Korsan, Lamboetga, Lambotga, Mekhet, Mukhait, Mukheit, Tabila, Tubaqe

Synonyms

Boscia octandra Hochst. ex Radlk.; Boscia hypoglauca Gilg.; Podoria senegalensis Pers.; Boscia angustifolia Lam.;