Common Name: Panda

General Information

Panda oleosa is a slow-growing, evergreen tree with a dense crown; usually growing from 10 - 20 metres tall but with some specimens to 35 metres[]. The irregular bole, which is usually 40 - 100cm in diameter, can be clear for up to 8 metres. In large trees it is somewhat fluted at the base, sometimes with short narrow buttresses up to 1 metre tall[].
The tree is harvested from the wild for local use as a food, medicine and source of timber.

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

Range

West tropical Africa - Liberia to Central African Republic, south to Gabon and Congo.

Habitat

An understorey tree of evergreen or deciduous, primary forest, sometimes riverine or seasonally flooded, at elevations from near sea level to 400 metres[].

Properties

Edibility Rating
Medicinal Rating
Other Uses Rating
Habit	Evergreen Tree
Height	20.00 m
Growth Rate	Slow
Self-fertile	No
Cultivation Status	Wild

Cultivation Details

Panda oleosa is a slow-growing tree -seedlings were only 35 - 40 cm tall 15 months after germination[].
Many trees produce fruits each year, and fruits may persist on the tree for several months[]. The seed case is hard to crack[].
A dioecious species, both male and female forms need to be grown if seed is required[].

Edible Uses

An oil extracted from the seeds is used for cooking[, ]. Seeds contain about 50% of oil on a dry matter basis. The fatty acid composition of the seed oil is: myristic acid 1%, palmitic acid 26%, stearic acid 6%, arachidic acid 0.5%, oleic acid 33.5% and linoleic acid 32.5%[].

The seeds are eaten after cooking. Rich in oil, they have a nutty flavour[]. In Gabon, the pounded seeds are added to sauces, soups and stews in the same way as fruit kernels of Irvingia gabonensis[].

Medicinal

Several parts of the plant are used in traditional medicine[].
In screening tests, the bark of Panda oleosa exhibited HIV-inhibitory activity[]. The anti-HIV activity was probably mainly produced by tannins[].

The bark is anti-inflammatory, analgesic and aphrodisiac[]. It is used internally to treat abdominal troubles, threatened abortion, intestinal parasites and blennorrhoea[].
It is applied externally to treat rheumatism, wounds, yaws, sores, whitlow, swellings and haemorrhoids[].

A root decoction is taken against bronchial affections[].

The seed oil is applied to ulcers[]. The pounded roasted seeds are applied to burns[].

A leaf infusion is used as an enema to treat dysmenorrhoea[], The pounded leaves are rubbed on the body as a tonic[].

Other Uses

The brownish yellow to pinkish red wood is moderately hard, has an irregular grain and fine texture[]. It is used for carpentry and making canoes[].

Propagation

Seed - germinates slowly, taking from 10 months to 4 years[]. Seedlings survive in the shade of the forest, but they are most common in openings in the forest canopy[].

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