Pandaceae
Panda oleosa
- Male flower.
- Whole fruit.
- Fruit cut to reveal flesh.
- Portion of male inflorescence.
General Information
Tree to 20 m with a trunk diameter of mature individuals reaching 60 cm or greater. The trunk is often slightly irregular and the bark a pale yellowish brown. The slash is quite distinctive, with a red mottle against a very dark, almost black background. The crown is tall and elongated. The fruit are round and hard and green to pale yellow. The flesh is deep reddish orange. Inside is a hard stone with three openings each containing a seed bent at right angles.
Ecology
Grows in terra firma and seasonally flooded forest in the understory. This species is dioecious, that is, there are male and female plants. The fruit are eaten by elephants and the seeds dispersed by them.
Human Uses
The seeds are ground up and cooked after the stones have been chipped open with a strong metal blade.
Distribution
Distribution: Liberia to DRC and Gabon.