Irvingia gabonensis
Irvingia gabonensis | |
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Ogbono nuts | |
Scientific classification | |
Kingdom: | Plantae |
Clade: | Tracheophytes |
Clade: | Angiosperms |
Clade: | Eudicots |
Clade: | Rosids |
Order: | Malpighiales |
Family: | Irvingiaceae |
Genus: | Irvingia |
Species: | I. gabonensis
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Binomial name | |
Irvingia gabonensis (Aubry-Lecomte ex O'Rorke) Baill.
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Natural occurrence of Irvingia gabonensis in Africa | |
Synonyms | |
Irvingia barteri Hook.f. |
Irvingia gabonensis is a species of African trees in the genus Irvingia, sometimes known by the common names wild mango, African mango, or bush mango. They bear edible mango-like fruits, and are especially valued for their fat- and protein-rich nuts.
Distribution and habitat
Irvingia gabonensis is indigenous to the humid forest zone from the northern tip of Angola, including Congo, DR Congo, Nigeria, Ivory Coast and south-western Uganda.[2][3] Since 2009, the Gabonese government has prohibited logging of the andok tree until 2034.[4]
Biophysical limits
The tree is present in the tropical wet and dry climate zone.
Description
Irvingia gabonensis grows straight, up to a height of 40 m (130 ft) and 1 m (3 ft 3 in) in diameter.
Ecology
Irvingia gabonensis is insect-pollinated by
Cultivation
In the past, 90% of African bush mango products were harvested from scattered, wild trees.[3] African bush mango trees were not cultivated initially, because it was believed, that it took up to 15 years for a tree to bear fruit. Although they were not artificially planted, their occurrence was high because they were also rarely harvested for timber. In a plantation using marcots (air-layering plants), flower production was observed within two to four years after planting.[3] Germination from seeds is low and when they are not handled appropriately, most fail.[3] The seeds are mostly extracted by breaking fruits by hand.[3]
Breeding
The
Uses
The fruits are often eaten fresh by humans and other mammals such as monkeys, gorillas, elephants and many more. As it is naturally and predominantly found in parts of Africa, it has been popularly called African mango.[2] The fruits are processed into jelly, jam, juice and sometimes even wine.[5] The pulp has also been used to prepare black dye for cloth coloration.
The
The nuts are often used in the Gabonese cuisine to season poultry and meat dishes, such as the poulet à l'odika. The ground nuts provide a smoked scent to the meals.
The wood is hard and therefore used for heavy construction work as making ships' decks or railway ties.[2] Dead branches are used as firewood.[6]
The trees are used in agroforestry systems to shade other crops, especially cocoa and coffee. They are also used to reduce erosion. Cities have started using them to shade streets, as shelter belts, or for beautification.
Thousands of tons of African bush mango seeds are traded each year, mostly within Africa.[7]
Nutrition
The edible seeds provide 697
Fat | 67 g |
Carbohydrate | 15 g |
Protein | 8.5 g |
Water | 4 g |
Calcium | 120 mg |
Iron | 2.4 mg |
The approximate fatty acid composition in seeds includes myristic acid (33–70%), lauric acid (20–59%), oleic acid (1–11%), palmitic acid (2%) and stearic acid (1%).[6]
Unlike the pulp of some other Irvingia spp., the pulp of Irvingia gabonensis tastes juicy and sweet and is eaten fresh. A 100 gram portion of fruit pulp provides 61 calories and includes:
Water | 81 g |
Carbohydrate | 15.7 g |
Protein | 0.9 g |
Fat | 0.2 g |
Phosphorus | 40 mg |
Calcium | 20 mg |
Vitamin C | 7 mg |
Iron | 2 mg |
Fruit pulp flavor components include zingiberene, cinnamic acid, dodecanal and dodecanol, resulting in spicy, earthy, fruity, and wine-yeast characteristics.[6]
Weight control
Food supplements from Irvingia gabonensis, under the name "African mango" are marketed for management of body weight. Clinical trials to date have not confirmed their efficacy, although a meta-analysis concluded that Irvingia gabonensis showed "some potential benefit for weight loss",[8] stating that "it appears to be safe and well tolerated as the most common adverse effects are headache, flatulence, and difficulty sleeping" but that "due to the limited data, Irvingia gabonensis cannot be recommended at this time."[8]
References
- . Retrieved 19 November 2021.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j "Irvingia gabonensis". AgroForestryTree Database. World Agroforestry Centre. Archived from the original on 2013-10-24. Retrieved 2012-12-08.
- ^ ISBN 0-309-10333-9.
- ISSN 1572-9680.
- ^ a b "Irvingia gabonensis". Ecocrop. Food and Agriculture Organization. 1993–2007. Archived from the original on 2019-10-13.
- ^ a b c d e f g Tchoundjeu Z, Atangana, AR (2007). "Irvingia gabonensis (Aubry-Lecomte ex O'Rorke) Baill". Plant Resources of Tropical Africa (PROTA); van der Vossen HAM, Mkamilo GS (Editors); Wageningen, Netherlands. Archived from the original on 2015-09-24. Retrieved 30 June 2016.
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: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) - .
- ^ PMID 20847896.
External links
- "Irvingia gabonensis". Forest Products Laboratory Tech Sheet. United States Department of Agriculture. Archived from the original on 2015-02-12. Retrieved 2010-12-15.
- "Irvingia gabonensis (Aubry-Lecomte ex O'Rorke) Baill". Protabase record display. Prota. Archived from the original on 2015-02-12. Retrieved 2010-12-15.