Common Name:

General Information

Isomacrolobium explicans can vary considerably, from a tall shrub that often adopts a climbing habit to a tree that can grow up to 33 metres tall, but is more likely to be less than 20 metres. The bole is often short and twisted; it is usually less than 60cm in diameter, though can be up to 100cm; and often has low buttresses[, , ].
The plant is sometimes harvested from the wild for local use as an emergency food and is also a source of wood and tying materials.

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

Range

West tropical Africa - Guinea, Sierra Leone, Liberia.

Habitat

Semi-deciduous forest and savannah woodland, at elevations up to 500 metres[].

Properties

Edibility Rating
Other Uses Rating
Habit	Tree
Height	15.00 m
Cultivation Status	Wild

Cultivation Details

Not known

Edible Uses

Seeds - cooked[]. They are sometimes eaten in times of food shortages[]. They contain 83.6% carbohydrate; 5.1% protein; 7% fat; and 4.1% fibre[].

Medicinal

None known

Other Uses

The flexible stem-ends are split and used as withies for tying up rice sheaves and lashing house-posts[].

The heartwood is dull purplish brown, often streaked; the sapwood pale brown. The grain is fairly straight, texture moderately fine. The wood is heavy, hard, tough and strong. It is easy to cut, finishes smoothly and is durable. The wood is sawn into planks[, ].

Propagation

Seed -

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