Guinea pepper tree
Xylopia staudtii

Family: Annonaceae

What it is like

A tree. It grows 30 m high. It can be 50 m tall. The trunk is straight and slender. There are buttresses at the base. The trunk can be 80 cm across. The leaves are narrowly oval and curl around the leaf stalk at the base. They are 7-10 cm long by 3-5 cm wide. They are lighter green underneath. The flowers occur singly and have yellow petals. The fruit are about 5 cm long. They are black and have 2-4 seeds.

Where it is found

It is a tropical plant. It grows in evergreen forest. It prefers moist valleys. It is occasionally in freshwater swamp. It grows from sea level to 1,350 m above sea level.

Countries/locations it is found in

Africa, Angola, Cameroon, Central Africa, Congo DR, Congo R, Côte d'Ivoire, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Ghana, Ivory Coast, Liberia, Nigeria, Sao Tome and Principe, Sierra Leone, Uganda, West Africa

How it is used for food

Edible parts

Fruit - flavouring, seeds - spice

How it is grown

Its other names

Local names

Drehn, Duanan, Efomu, Fofois, Fonde, Fonfi, Gbajinea, Niumbi, Nkala, Ntom, Odjobi, Takon-blu-chu, Yengetomei

Synonyms

Xylopicrum staudtii (Engler) Kuntze; Xylopia mayombensis De Wildeman;