Monkey cola
Cola millenii

Family: Malvaceae

What it is like

A small tree. It grows to 4-12 m high. It can be 1.5 m round. It loses its leaves during the year. The small branches are green with brown hairs. The leaves are simple and with lobes like fingers on a hand. There are usually 5 lobes. The leaves are 10-30 cm long and 10-40 cm wide. They are widely heart shaped at the base. The lobes are broad and taper to the tip. The leaf stalks are 5-32 cm long. The flowers are in short clusters in the axils of leaves. They are often red-brown outside and orange-red inside. The fruit are composed are 6-11 rich orange or pink cells. They are 8.5 cm long and 3-5 cm broad. There are 8-10 seeds in each cell.

Also put in the family Sterculiaceae.

Where it is found

A tropical plant. It grows in drier types of the lowland rainforest. It suits humid locations. It grows in secondary forest.

Countries/locations it is found in

Africa, Benin, Cameroon, Central Africa, Côte d'Ivoire, Ghana, Ivory Coast, Nigeria, Togo, West Africa

How it is used for food

The pulp of the fruit is eaten fresh.

Edible parts

Seeds, fruit, leaves

How it is grown

Its other names

Local names

Efok, Obi-edun

Synonyms

Cola togoensis Engl. & K. Krause;