Common Name:

General Information

Trichoscypha longifolia is an evergreen tree that can grow up to 25 metres tall. The unbuttressed, usually straight bole can be free of branches for most of its height and up to 30cm in diameter[, ].
The plant is commonly harvested from the wild for local use as a food, medicine and source of wood.

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

Range

West tropical Africa - Guinea, Sierra Leone, Liberia.

Habitat

Moist evergreen forests[].

Properties

Edibility Rating
Medicinal Rating
Other Uses Rating
Habit	Evergreen Tree
Height	18.00 m
Self-fertile	No
Cultivation Status	Wild

Cultivation Details

A dioecious species, both male and female forms need to be grown if fruit and seed are required[].

Edible Uses

The seed kernels are oily and edible[, ].

Medicinal

The bark turns black when boiled, and the liquor is used as an antiseptic wash for sores and wounds[, ].

The leaves are applied as a healing poultice on ulcers[, ].

Other Uses

The bark exudes a clear, sticky, pungent resin which becomes black on exposure. This can stain hands and clothing and is difficult to remove even by petrol solvent[].
The fruit yields a similar watery resinous sap that blackens and stains. The fruits are in grape-like clusters, each about 25mm long[].

The wood is greyish to greenish yellow and somewhat variegated. The grain is fairly straight; texture fine. The wood is lustrous and has no distinct odour or taste. It is heavy, hard, tough and strong, and somewhat splintery. It is not easy to work when dry, but takes a fine polish. It is used for planks and construction in local house building[, ]

Propagation

Seed -

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