Vegetable tallow tree, Ouotera

Allanblackia parviflora

Physical Characteristics

Allanblackia parviflora is an evergreen Tree growing to 20 m (65ft) by 15 m (49ft) at a fast rate. See above for USDA hardiness. It is hardy to UK zone 10. The plant is not self-fertile. Suitable for: light (sandy), medium (loamy) and heavy (clay) soils and prefers well-drained soil. Suitable pH: mildly acid and neutral soils and can grow in very acid soils. It can grow in semi-shade (light woodland) or no shade. It prefers moist soil.

Distribution

West tropical Africa - Guinea to Ghana.

Habitats

Edible Uses

Edible Parts: Fruit Oil Seed Edible Uses: Oil The fat obtained from the seed, known as 'allanblackia fat' or 'beurre de bouandjo' in Congo, is used in food preparation[299 ]. Recently, the international food industry has become interested in the fat as a natural solid component for margarines and similar products[299 ]. The seeds contain a fat that is solid at ambient temperatures. The kernel, which makes up about 60% of the seed, contains about 72% fat. The fatty acid composition of the fat is approximately: stearic acid 45 - 58% and oleic acid 40 - 51%. Only traces of other fatty acids are present. Its composition and relatively high melting point (35°c) makes the fat a valuable raw material that can be used without transformation to improve the consistency of margarines, cocoa butter substitutes and similar products[299 ]. Fruits are stored under a cover of leaves to allow the fruit pulp to disintegrate. To extract the seeds, fruits are crushed between the hands and seeds are rubbed clean. To extract the fat, seeds are dried and crushed; the resulting mass is mixed with water and boiled until the fat separates and floats to the surface, from where it is scooped off[299 ]. More modern hydraulic and screw press equipment is now also used[299 ]. The seeds are eaten in times of food scarcity[299 , 332 ]. The fruit’s slimy pulp can be made into jams and jellies[299 ]. The fruit is large, up to 30cm long by 10cm in diameter with upward of 100 seeds borne within in a translucent mucilage[332 ].

Medicinal Uses

Dysentery A decoction of the inner bark is taken to treat diarrhoea, dysentery and stomach aches[299 , 303 ]. A decoction of the inner bark is used as a mouthwash to relieve the pain of toothache[299 , 303 ]. The bark is anodyne. A decoction of the bark or leaves is taken to treat asthma, bronchitis and cough[299 ]. The bark is pounded and rubbed on the body to relieve painful conditions[332 ]. Sap squeezed from the bark is a component of a medicine used to treat urethral discharge[299 ]. Sap expressed from a crushed up mixture of the bark, combined with that of Mammea africana, maleguetta and sugar-cane, is taken as a remedy for urethral discharge[332 ]. A decoction of the whole fruit is used to relieve elephantiasis of the scrotum, though this may simply be based on the Theory of Signatures because of the size and shape of the fruit[332 ]. A prenylated xanthone, named allanxanthone A, has been isolated from the bark, as well as 1,5-dihydroxyxanthone and 1,5,6-trihydroxy-3, 7-dimethoxyxanthone. The compounds isolated showed moderate in-vitro cytotoxicity against the KB cancer cell line[299 ]. Plant material from the Congo (this would be of A. Floribunda[K ]) has been reported to contain abundant flavonins in the bark and roots, some tannins, and traces of steroids and terpenes[332 ]. An alkaloid has been reported in the fruit-sap, a derivative of tryptophane and related to eseroline found in the Calabar bean, Physostigma venenosum and is mildly stimulatory[332 ].

Known Hazards

None known