Uapaca heudelotii

Family: Phyllanthaceae

What it is like

A tree. It grows to 20-30 m high. The trunk is 3 m around. It has stilt roots up to 5 m high. It can also have aerial roots. The bark is grey and rough. The crown is dense and with many branches. The leaves have tufts of short reddish hairs at their base. The leaves are 7-23 cm long by 2.5-7.5 cm wide. They are oval with a blunt point at the tip. They are narrowly wedge shaped at the base. They are dark green above and pale green underneath. The leaf stalks are slender and 2.5 cm long. The flowers have cream coloured bracts. The male heads are white or cream and on stalks 18 mm long. The fruit are elongated and 3 cm long by 2.5 cm wide. There are 3 elongated seeds.

Where it is found

A tropical plant. It grows in swamp forest near water. It also grow on the edges of savannah forest. In Nigeria it has been recorded at 300 m above sea level.

Countries/locations it is found in

Africa, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Central Africa, Central African Republic, CAR, Congo, Côte d'Ivoire, Ghana, Guinea, Guinée, Guinea-Bissau, Ivory Coast, Liberia, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, West Africa

How it is used for food

The fruit are eaten raw.

Edible parts

Fruit

How it is grown

In Central African Republic plants have been recorded flowering in February and August and September.

Its other names

Local names

Akun, Kuntan-akoa, N'chambana, Nombi, Odang, Odon, Yeye

Synonyms

Uapaca marquesii Pax;