Lannea fruticosa

Family: Anacardiaceae

What it is like

A shrub or small tree. It grows 8 m high. It has a tuberous root. The bark is rough with deep cracks. The young parts have a reddish covering. The leaves are in clusters at the ends of the small branches. The leaves have leaflets along the stalk. The leaves are compound and 12-25 cm long and with 11-15 leaflets 1-2 cm long. The flowers are yellow. The fruit are oblong and 7-12 mm long.

Where it is found

It is a tropical plant. It grows in the Sahel in West Africa. It can grow in arid places. It grows in savannah. It grows between 300-2,300 m above sea level.

Countries/locations it is found in

Africa, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, East Africa, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Middle East, Niger, Nigeria, Sahel, Sudan, Uganda, West Africa, Yemen

How it is used for food

The tuberous root is cooked and eaten.

Edible parts

Root, fruit

How it is grown

Plants can be grown from seed. It can be grown from cuttings.

Its other names

Local names

Adhar, Afrormosia, Dugduguga, Dugula, Faru, Ghallub, Leyun, Limba, Paaruu, Paru kanuri

Synonyms

Odina fruticosa Hochst. ex A. Rich.;