Allanblackia parviflora A. Chev.

Protologue Veg. Ut. Afr. Trop. Franc. 5: 163 (1909). Family Clusiaceae (Guttiferae) Chromosome number 2n — 56 Vernacular names Vegetable tallow tree (En). Ouotéra (Fr). Origin and geographic distribution Allan-blackia parviflor occurs in the forest zone from Guinea and Sierra Leone to Ghana. Uses The seeds of Allanblackia parviflora yield a solid fat used in cooking. Recently, the international food industry became interested in the fat as a natural solid component for margarines and similar products. The seeds are used as bait in traps for small game. In Ghana latex from the bark is used as pitch. The wood, called 'lacewood' in Liberia, is locally used, e.g. in house construction for walls, doors and window frames. In Ghana small trees are used as poles, pit props and bridge piles. The trees are often retained when land is cleared for cocoa production. Because of their relatively small crown, they are valued as shade trees. Small twigs are used as chew sticks or tooth picks. The pounded bark is rubbed on the body to relieve pain. In Côte d'Ivoire a decoction of the fruit pulp is used to relieve elephantiasis of the scrotum.

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