Diospyros heudelotii

Family: Ebenaceae

What it is like

A tree. It grows 20 m high. The trunk is straight. The leaves are simple and alternate. The leaves and flowers emit a coarse smell. It can produce flowers and fruit on the trunk. The flowers are white or pale yellow. The ripe fruit are yellow or orange. There is only a thin layer around the seed.

There are about 485 species of Diospyros mostly in the tropics.

Where it is found

A tropical plant. It grows in the lower storey of evergreen forest in West Africa.

Countries/locations it is found in

Africa, Côte d'Ivoire, Ghana, Guinea, Guinée, Guinea-Bissau, Ivory Coast, Liberia, Senegal, Sierra Leone, West Africa

How it is used for food

It is only an occasional food.

Edible parts

Fruit, nuts - oil

How it is grown

Its other names

Local names

A-ngunk, Bukbubili, Culum, Cussito, Difine, Din-mese, Ditueh, Duabiri, Ebangleba, Iatete, Lafa, Malefu, Malifu, Mantok, Ndokuwuli, N'jangugurta, Oson-akenkye, Pesiwe, Sanza brika, Silabono, Tei-guru, Tonyambe, Yatete

Synonyms

Diospyros ferrea var. lancea (Hiern) Bakh.; Diospyros guineensis A. Chev. [Invalid]; Ebenus lancea (Hiern) Kuntze; Maba lancea Hiern.;