Spicy cedar
Beilschmiedia mannii

Family: Lauraceae

What it is like

A tree. It grows up to 10-35 m high. The trunk does not have branches for 20 m. The trunk is straight and 100 cm across. There are heavy root swellings near the base. The young branches are hairy. The leaves are 7-26 cm long by 4-10 cm wide. They are simple and alternate almost opposite. The leaves have a smell when crushed. The flowers are in a group 4-15 cm long in the axils of leaves. The flowers are small and green. The fruit is a narrow berry. It is 2-6 cm long by 2-3 cm wide.

There are about 100-250 Beilschmeidia species. They are in the tropics.

Where it is found

A tropical plant. It grows in evergreen forest. It can grow in shade. It sometimes grows in marshy situations. In Nigeria it has been recorded at 1,500 m above sea level.

Countries/locations it is found in

Africa, Benin, Cameroon, Central Africa, Central African Republic, CAR, Congo, Côte d'Ivoire, East Africa, Gabon, Ghana, Guinea, Guinée, Guinea-Bissau, Ivory Coast, Liberia, Malawi, Nigeria, Sahara, Sierra Leone, Togo, West Africa

How it is used for food

The flowers are used to flavour rice. The fruit is eaten and is used in sauces. The seeds are roasted and ground then eaten. It is added to soups and vegetables. The seeds yield an edible oil. The leaves are used in soup.

The seeds are commonly sold in West African markets.

Edible parts

Seeds, fruit unripe, flowers - flavouring, seeds - oil, leaves

How it is grown

Plants are grown by seed. Seedlings are transplanted.

Its other names

Local names

Bile, Gbonyonnon wien, Gbu-gby nyennoh, Ghoko nisa, Kanda, Moukouzo, Oah, Quenhdeh, Poupouizo, Wollor

Synonyms

Afrodaphne mannii Stapf; Oreodaphne mannii Meisn.; Tylostemon cuspidatus Kraenzl.; Tylostemon kamerunensis Engl. & Kraenzl.; Tylostemon mannii (Meisn.) Stapf;