Small-fruit wild frangipani
Voacanga africana

Family: Apocynaceae

What it is like

A shrub or small tree. It grows 4-10 m tall. The trunk can be 2-30 cm across. The bark is smooth and pale grey. The leaf blade is pale green. The leaves vary in shape. There are many flowers in a loose group 4-16 cm long. The flowers have a bad smell. The fruit has 2 sections but only one develops. They are dark with pale green spots. They are 3-8 cm long by 3-8 cm wide and 3-7 cm thick. There are many dark brown seeds.

There are 12 Voacanga species. The seeds are used in medicine.

Where it is found

A tropical plant. It grows along river banks. It grows in open woodland and light forest. In southern Africa it grows from sea level to 1,000 m altitude. In Yunnan.

Countries/locations it is found in

Africa, Angola, Asia, Burkina Faso, Central Africa, Central African Republic, CAR, China, Congo DR, Congo R, East Africa, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Guinea, Guinée, Guinea-Bissau, Malawi, Mozambique, Nigeria, Sao Tome and Principe, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Southern Africa, Sudan, Tanzania, Togo, West Africa, Zambia, Zimbabwe

How it is used for food

The fruit are used in medicine but also eaten in Senegal.

Edible parts

Fruit

How it is grown

Plants can be grown from seeds. The ripe fruit are opened to release the seeds into water and then the seeds are dried. They can be stored for 12 months.

In Central African Republic in flowers in March.

Its other names

Local names

Blacahai, Bu lefukal, Cinimbwe, Epopoque, M'pumbu, Mukodi kodi, Munkodi nkodi, Pau-de-bor-racha

Synonyms

Voacanga africana var. auriculata Pichon; Voacanga africana var. glabra (K. Schum.) Pichon; Voacanga africana var. lutescens (Stapf) Pichon; Voacanga angolensis Stapf. ex Hiern; Voacanga bequaerti De Wild.; Voacanga boehmii K. Schum.; Voacanga eketensis Wernham; Voacanga glaberrima Wernham; Voacanga glabra K. Schum.; Voacanga lemossii Philipson; Voacanga lutescens Stapf; Voacanga magnifolia Wernham; Voacanga puberula K. Schum.; Voacanga schweinfurthii Stapf.; Voacanga schweinfurthii var. parvifolia K. Schum.; Voacanga schweinfurthii var. puberula (K. Schum.) Pichon; Voacanga spectabilis Stapf;