Xylopia elliotii
Family: Annonaceae
What it is like
A shrub or small tree. It grows 10 m tall. It has many branches. The bark is dark brown. The twigs are hairy. The leaves are oval and 5-10 cm long by 2-6 cm wide. The flowers are in the axils of leaves. The petals are white tinged with purple at the base. The flowers have a scent. The fruit have up to 8 long sections. These are red to purple. There are up to 9 seeds in each section.
Where it is found
It is a tropical plant. It grows between 280-1,400 m above sea level.
Countries/locations it is found in
Africa, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Central Africa, Central African Republic, Côte d'Ivoire, Ghana, Guinea Bissau, Guinea, Guinée, Ivory Coast, Mali, Sierra Leone, Togo, West Africa
How it is used for food
It is cultivated in a few places.
Edible parts
Fruit - flavouring, spice
How it is grown
Its other names
Local names
Kenema, Nkankalan je