Xylopia acutiflora

Family: Annonaceae

What it is like

A shrub or medium sized tree. It can be 13-15 m high. The leaves are thin and leathery. The fruit is red or blackish and 5 cm long by 1-1.5 cm wide. They are curved. The pulp of coral-red. They have a spicy taste.

There are between 160-180 Xylopia species worldwide.

Where it is found

It is a tropical plant. It grows in the rain-forest in West Africa. In Nigeria it is recorded up to 1,800 m above sea level.

Countries/locations it is found in

Africa, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Central Africa, Congo, Côte d'Ivoire, East Africa, Gabon, Ghana, Guinea, Guinée, Guinea-Bissau, Ivory Coast, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, West Africa, Zimbabwe

How it is used for food

Edible parts

Fruit - flavouring

How it is grown

Its other names

Local names

Dwombibre, Guilibete-bade, Hewe, Kimbaa, Ngele-hewei, Tsyo

Synonyms

Coelocline acutiflora (Dunal) A. DC.; Coelocline oxypetala A. DC.; Unona acutiflora Dunal; Unona oxypetala De Candolle; Xylopia dinklagei Engl. & Diels; Xylopia oxypetala (De Candolle) Oliv.; Xylopia sereti De Wild.; Xylopia thomsonii Oliv.; Xylopicrum acutiflorum (Dunal) Kuntze;