Sosi
Pouteria adolfi-friederici

Family: Sapotaceae

What it is like

A very tall tree. It grows up to 50 m high. It has a clear straight trunk up to about 16 m then branches. Mature trees have buttresses at the base. The bark is pale grey-brown. If the bark is cut is produces white latex with an unpleasant smell. The flower and leaf stalks have golden-brown hairs. The leaves are stiff and large. They are 22 cm long by 8 cm across. The top leaf surface is dark shiny green. The leaves are hairy and pale orange underneath. There are 10-20 pairs of prominent veins. The tip of the leaf is pointed. Flowers are creamy-white. They are very small and in clusters beside the leaves. The fruit are hard and narrow with a beak. They are 4 cm long and green. Inside there is one shiny brown seed. It is 3 cm long. It has a large white scar. Possibly now Aningeria adolfi-friedericii (Engl.) Robyns & Gilbert; Possibly now

Where it is found

A tropical plant. It grows in Uganda at altitudes of 1,200-2,100 m above sea level. It is in lower mountain forests.

Countries/locations it is found in

Africa, Burundi, Central Africa, Congo DR, East Africa, Ethiopia, Kenya, Malawi, Southern Africa, Sudan, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia, Zimbabwe

How it is used for food

The nut is used as food. The seed contains edible oil.

Edible parts

Seeds for oil, fruit

How it is grown

It can be grown from seed. Seed should be sown fresh. Seed will not store well.

The tree is slow growing. The fruit mature in April in Uganda.

Its other names

Local names

Chepkatet, Kipkoibet, Kipworbet, Luliondet, Lulyo, Muna, Mutunguru, Mwiruni, Nejebbe, Ngechebet, Nychebbe, Seite

Synonyms

Aningeria adolfi-friedericii (Engl.) Robyns & Gilbert; Aningeria adolfi-friedericii subsp. keniensis J. H. Hemsl.; Pouteria adolfi-friedericii subsp. adolfi-friedericii; Pouteria ferruginea Chiov.; Pouteria rufinervis Chiov.; Malacantha sp. sensu East African Herbarium records; Sersalisia ferruginea Chiov.; Sideroxylon adolfi-friedericii Engl.