Rat's bane
Dichapetalum toxicarium

Family: Dichapetalaceae

What it is like

A shrub or tree. It grows 16 m tall. It can be a woody climber. The leaves are waxy. They are narrowly oval and 8 cm long by 4 cm wide. They are wedge shaped at the base. The small branches are hairy. The fruit are oval and 4 cm long.

The bark can be used to kill rats and mice.

Where it is found

It is a tropical plant. It grows in the forest under-storey or in secondary bush in West Africa.

Countries/locations it is found in

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

How it is used for food

The fruit pulp around the seeds is eaten. Caution: The seed kernels are poisonous. They contain monofluoroacetate.

Edible parts

Fruit, caution

How it is grown

In Sierra Leone flowering is in April and fruit mature in August and September.

Its other names

Local names

Broko-bak, Ekum-nkura, Ka-nunk, Koli-tomda, Magbavi, Magbevii, Makpafi, Meme, Suin

Synonyms

Chailletia toxicaria G. Don;