Cola natalensis
De Wild.
Common cola
iNaturalist· cc-by-nc
(c) Suvarna Parbhoo Mohan, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by Suvarna Parbhoo Mohan
iNaturalist· cc-by-sa
(c) Chris Vynbos, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA)
Description
A small or medium sized tree. It grows 7-10 m high. The bark is grey. It is smooth and peels in small flakes. The young branches are hairy. The leaves are oval and 6-20 cm long by 1.5-6 cm wide. They are dark green. The leaf tapers to both ends. The leaf stalk is 2,5 cm long. The flowers are in clusters in the axils of leaves. The fruit is made up of 2-4 carpels each 4 cm long by 2.7 cm wide. They are leathery. The surface is rough and there are yellowish hairs.
Edible Uses
The leaves are eaten.
Distribution
A tropical plant. It grows in evergreen forest.
Where It Grows
Africa, Central Africa, Congo, East Africa, Mozambique, South Africa, Southern Africa,
Notes
Also put in the family Sterculiaceae.
Also Known As
Coshwood, Southern cola
References (2)
- Jardin, C., 1970, List of Foods Used In Africa, FAO Nutrition Information Document Series No 2.p 68
- Palgrave, K.C., 1996, Trees of Southern Africa. Struik Publishers. p 599
