Common Name:

General Information

Irvingia robur is a tree growing up to 40 metres tall with twisted branches and a crown wider than it is tall[, ]. The bole is straight, unbranched for around 20 metres and with buttresses up to 5 metres tall[, ].
The edible seeds are harvested from wild trees and used locally.

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

Range

Western tropical Africa - Sierra Leone to Côte d'Ivoire, and Cameroon to Congo.

Habitat

Rainforests, on dry ground[].

Properties

Edibility Rating
Habit	Tree
Height	35.00 m
Cultivation Status	Wild

Cultivation Details

A variable species in the size and shape of its leaves[].

Edible Uses

Cotyledons and endosperm cooked and eaten[]. The seeds are 35 - 70 mm long, 25 - 50 mm wide and 5 - 7 mm thick with a copious endosperm[].
The kernels from the fruit are an important ingredient in cooking. They are processed by grinding and crushing, and are then used to thicken soups and stews. The kernels are also made into a cake called 'dika bread' or 'odika bread' for year-round preservation and easy use[].
The preparation of 'dika bread' consists of drying, roasting and grinding the kernels. The paste obtained is put in a container or 'cake tin' and left to cool for a few hours. Once solid, the cake is removed from the container and is ready for use. If well dried, it can be stored for more than a year. Sometimes women place a tin below the grid on which the dika cake is stored, to collect the oil that drips from it[]

Medicinal

None known

Other Uses

None known

Propagation

Seed -

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