Sierra Leone tamarind, Black velvet tree
Dialium guineense

Family: Fabaceae

What it is like

An evergreen shrub or tree. It grows up to 20 m high. The trunk has slight buttresses. The crown is large and round. The leaves have leaflets along the stalk. There are 3-7 leaflets. They are 13 cm long. The flowers are yellowish white and in branched erect panicles. They have rusty hairs. The fruit are pods 2 cm long by 2.5 cm wide. They are flat and oval. The pods are velvety black with an acid pulp. The pulp is edible. The pods are held above the leaves on wide spreading branched panicles.

There are about 40 Dialium species. They grow in tropical SE Asia. They probably all have edible fruit. Also as Caesalpinaceae.

Where it is found

A tropical plant. It is native to tropical West Africa. It grows in lowland, evergreen humid or semi-dry forests. It grows in savannah. It can grow in arid places. It grows up to 1,200 m above sea level. It grows in areas with a rainfall between 1,000-1,600 mm per year. In Brisbane Botanical Gardens.

Countries/locations it is found in

Africa, Asia, Australia, Benin, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Caribbean, Central Africa, Central African Republic, CAR, Central America, Chad, Congo, Côte d'Ivoire, Cuba, Equatorial Guinea, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinée, Guinea-Bissau, Indonesia, Ivory Coast, Liberia, Mali, Niger, Nigeria, Sahel, Sao Tome and Principe, SE Asia, Senegal, Sierra Leone, St. Vincent and Grenadines, Sudan, Togo, West Africa (country/location of origin), West Indies

How it is used for food

The pods are chewed to relieve thirst and soaked in water to make a drink. The pulp is used in chutneys and preserves. The pulp (aril) around the seeds is eaten fresh.

It is a commonly used food in West Africa. It is sold in local markets.

Edible parts

Nuts, fruit, aril, leaves, seeds

How it is grown

Plants are grown from seed. Plants can be budded. Plants can be grown from stem cuttings.

Fruit mature in 90-150 days.

Its other names

Local names

Aigele, Airan, Anwin, Atenguengelere, Awin, Bebui, Beludo, Black tamarind, Boie-maio, Bragamboy, Bu fotodi, Bubei, Bufaro, Bu foyitay, Bu fulan, Butara, Cito, Cossirae, Cossito, Epadum, Era, Iwin, Jaabe wadou, Kosito, M'bim, M'bimbe, M'boie, Mako, Mboy, Meco, Moque, N'boi, Nchichi, Nkwaa, Ora, Pau-veludo, Po-de-ve-ludo, Pohon asam halus, Solomsolom, Ukak, Umboi, Uparan, Veludo, Velvet tamarind, White tamarind

Synonyms

Dialium guianense Steud. [Spelling variant];