Cola urceolata

K. Schum.

Malvaceae Edible: Aril, Fruit, Seeds, Nuts

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Summary

Source: Wikipedia

Cola urceolata, also known as bemange, bokosa, eboli, egwasa, ikaie, lekukumu, lungandu, lusakani, matadohohu, nesunguna, ngbilimo, ngono, and zimonziele, is a flowering shrub in the family Malvaceae. The specific epithet (urceolata) comes from Latin urceus (= pitcher, jug) and means "urn-shaped".

Description

A small shrub. It grows 2-3 m high. The leaves are oval and taper to both ends. They are wavy. The flowers are 5 mm long and have no petals. The fruit are 10 cm long. There are 3-5 seeds in each bright red pod. The young pods are green. The edible aril around the seeds is eaten.

Edible Uses

The fruit and other edible parts of the plant are eaten raw or cooked in its native range.

Traditional Uses

The pulp around the fruit is eaten raw. The leaves are cooked and eaten as a leafy vegetable.

This uses section is brief — help expand it

Distribution

It is a tropical plant. It grows in forests including seasonally flooded forests and in disturbed sites.

Where It Grows

Africa, Cameroon, Central Africa, Central African Republic, CAR, Congo DR, Congo R, Gabon,

Production

In Central African Republic flowers have been recorded from January to March and fruit from June to September.

Notes

Also put in the family Sterculiaceae.

Also Known As

Balembe, Limbabaliyekondo, Losakanu, Nzanzainza, Nzanzalinza, Ongando oitchi, Sakanu, Tongombo

References (6)

Danforth, R.M., & Boren, P.D., 1997, Congo Native fruits. Twenty-five of the best. Privately published. p 49
Dibong, S. D., et al, 2011, Inventory and Biodiversity of species edible wild fruits sold in the markets of Douala, Cameroon. International Journal of Applied Biology and Pharmaceutical Technology. 2(3).
Liengola, I. B., 2001, A contribution to the study of native edible plants by the Turumbu and Lokele of the Tshopo District, Province Orientale, D. R. Congo. Syst. Geogr. Pl. 71:687-698
Mosango M., Szafranski F., 1985, Plantes sauvages à fruits comestibles dans les environs de Kisangani (Zaïre). In: Journal d'agriculture traditionnelle et de botanique appliquée, 32e année, pp. 177-190
Termote, C., et al, 2011, Eating from the wild: Turumbu, Mbole and Bali traditional knowledge of non-cultivated edible plants, District Tshopo, DRCongo, Gen Resourc Crop Evol. 58:585-618

Show all 6 references