Napoleonaea imperialis

Family: Lecythidaceae

What it is like

A shrub or small tree. It grows to 6-7 m high. It branches low down and has a very dense crown. It often has several trunks. The bark is grey and smooth. The branches are almost in rings. The leaves are 7-22 cm long by 3-8 cm wide. They are broadly oval. There can be 1 or 2 pairs of glands near the leaf stalk. The edges of the leaves are wavy. The flowers vary in colour. They can be cream at the edge and red at the centre. They are almost stalkless and 5 cm across. The fruit are brown or red and with white spots. The fruit are 5 cm across. The fruit is edible. It contains 5-6 cells each with a kidney shaped seed.

Where it is found

A tropical plant. It grows in tropical West Africa. It is native to Nigeria and Guinea, In Nigeria it grows below 600 m above sea level. It grows as an understorey tree in the forest. It can grow in light shade. It needs rich, humid acid soil. In Brisbane Botanical gardens.

Countries/locations it is found in

Africa, Angola, Australia, Benin, Cameroon, Central Africa, Congo, Côte d'Ivoire, Gabon, Guinea, Guinée, India, Ivory Coast, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, Togo, West Africa

How it is used for food

Edible parts

Nuts, fruit

How it is grown

Plants are grown from seed.

It is slow growing.

Its other names

Local names

Akbodo, Irosun-igbo, Mabungi

Synonyms

Napoleonaea miersii Hook.f.; Napoleonaea cuspidata Miers.;