Mammea africana
| Mammea africana | |
|---|---|
| Common names | African mammee apple; Oboto |
| Genus | Mammea |
| Family | Calophyllaceae |
| Order | Malpighiales |
| Growth form | Medium-to-large tropical forest tree |
| Native range | West and Central Tropical Africa; reported from Senegal to Angola and southwestern Uganda |
| Fruit | Pale yellow to orange, globose to pear-shaped drupe, 7–18 cm long, with small brown warts |
| Scientific name | Mammea africana |
| Climate/site | Wetter tropical forest; seasonally inundated alluvial sites occur naturally[1] |
| Propagation | Seed; sow in shade, with emergence taking 3–35 weeks[1] |
| Pollination | Functionally dioecious; both sexual forms are needed for fruiting[1] |
Mammea africana is an accepted species in the family Calophyllaceae.[2] It is known as African mammee apple and Oboto, and is a medium-to-large tree of evergreen and semi-deciduous forests in West and Central Tropical Africa.[3]
Description[edit | edit source]
The tree is described as reaching up to 40 m, although this is a reported maximum rather than a typical garden size. It has simple, thick leaves and flowers that occur in the leaf axils and on older stems (cauliflory).[3]
Cultivation[edit | edit source]
Soil and water[edit | edit source]
This forest tree occurs in wetter forest sites and often grows on seasonally inundated alluvial soils. The native substrate is described as fertile and humus-rich, with abundant moisture; both clay and sandy soils are recorded, including base-poor soils.[1] Cultivation inference: maintain dependable moisture and organic matter, but do not treat natural seasonal inundation as evidence that roots should remain stagnant in a container.
Sun and humidity[edit | edit source]
Young plants tolerate shade, which can be reduced gradually as the tree grows. The species has been established by underplanting, and mature trees are described as good shade-bearers.[1] Cultivation inference: a sheltered, humid position is a better starting point than an exposed site where foliage and soil dry rapidly.
Seasonal changes[edit | edit source]
The species occurs in hot tropical monsoon climates, evergreen forest, and moist semi-deciduous forest.[1] Flowering is irregular, and mass fruiting may occur every 2–3 years rather than as an identical annual crop; fruit ripens about 10–12 months after flowering.[1] Cultivation inference: maintain moisture through the drier part of a monsoon cycle instead of treating this forest tree as drought-adapted.
Propagation[edit | edit source]
Sow seed in shade. Pretreatment is not necessary, but soaking for 24 hours or carefully filing a hole in the stone wall can promote germination. Emergence is irregular and can take 3–35 weeks. Fresh seed can germinate at up to 90% under the cited conditions; seed sown 2–6 weeks after harvest reached about 70%, and seed sown 10 weeks after harvest about 35%. Nursery plants can be planted out at about 18–24 months.[1]
Flowering, fruiting, and harvest[edit | edit source]
Flowering can begin around ten years of age without an immediate fruit crop, so flowering age should not be treated as years to first fruit. The flowers are morphologically bisexual or male, but the apparently bisexual flowers function as female flowers; male flowers occur on separate trees. The species is therefore functionally dioecious, and at least one tree of each form is needed for fruiting.[1] Mass fruiting generally occurs every 2–3 years, and fruit ripens 10–12 months after flowering.[1]
Fruit and uses[edit | edit source]
The fully ripe pulp is fibrous but edible. The fruit is a pale yellow to orange, globose to pear-shaped drupe with small brown warts, 7–18 cm long, and contains one to four seeds.[1] Fruit is gathered from wild trees, and the species is also cultivated on a limited scale.[1]
References[edit | edit source]
- ↑ [1] Ken Fern, Useful Tropical Plants: Mammea africana. Accessed 2026-09-20.
- ↑ [3] Mammea africana.