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Lophira lanceolata
Also called False Shea, Méni Oiltree
Lophira lanceolata is a small deciduous tree from tropical West and Central Africa, grown mainly for its dense timber and seed oil rather than as an ornamental. It suits open, seasonally dry savanna conditions.
Lophira lanceolata, commonly known as the dwarf red ironwood, is a species of tree in the family Ochnaceae which is native to tropical West and Central Africa. The timber is used for heavy construction, an edible oil can be extracted from the seeds and various parts of the plant are used in traditional medicine.
Lophira lanceolata is found in tropical West and Central Africa, its range extending from Senegal to Sudan, Uganda and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. It grows at altitudes of up to around 1,500 m (5,000 ft) on wooded savanna, particularly on the edges of larger forested areas where it may grow thickly. Established trees are tolerant of wildfires but saplings are likely to be damaged.
The timber of this tree is dense and is used in bridge building and other heavy construction work, and for tool-making. It burns well as firewood and can be used to make charcoal. The fragrant flowers are attractive to honey bees. The seeds can be eaten, but are mainly used for extraction of a vegetable oil called "meni oil" which is used in the manufacture of foodstuffs, soap and cosmetics. The foliage is used as fodder for livestock and in Cameroon, edible caterpillars are cultivated on the leaves. The seed oil, leaves, sap, bark and roots have multiple uses in traditional medicine.
Text excerpted from the Wikipedia article Lophira lanceolata by its contributors, under CC BY-SA 4.0; the excerpts and the care summary drawn from them are shared under the same licence.
The care summary was written by AI (Claude, Anthropic) from the sources on this page, with general growing knowledge where they are silent. Check before relying on it.
Life form, climate and native range: World Checklist of Vascular Plants, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew (CC BY 3.0), reformatted; see Plants of the World Online.
