Food Plants International - Plant Fact Sheets Parkia filicoidea - African Locust Bean
Edible parts: Nuts, Fruit, Kernel, Seed - oil
A large evergreen tree. It grows to 50 m high. The trunk is 1.5 m across. It has buttresses. The branches have a cottony covering. The leaves are alternate and simple. They are 5-10 cm long by 2.5-5 cm wide. The flowers are pink and white. They have a sweet smell. Fruit are oval and 6 cm long by 4 cm wide. They are red-brown and have a warty surface. This is hard and woody. There are 1-2 seeds per stone.
A tropical plant. It grows in tropical Africa. It grows in forest and along river banks. It can be in savannah or palm groves. It grows from the lowlands to 1,000 m altitude in West Africa. In East Africa it grows to 2,400 m altitude.