Oil Bean / Pentaclethra macrophylla Benth Details
- Scientific name: Pentaclethra macrophylla Benth.
- Family: Leguminosae.
- Distribution/conservation status: occurs in both primary and secondary
forests, especially near watercourses. Not been assessed by the IUCN red
list. - Common names: African oil bean, Congo acacia (English), Ugba, Ogba, Akpaka
(Igbo), Apara, Apawa (Yoruba), Okpagha, Akpagha (Edo). - Fruits/seeds: dark brown, linear-oblong pod, tapering at the base and
rounded at the apex, enclosing 5 – 8 large, smooth, brown, flattened seeds. - Fruiting time: all year but mainly September – December.
- Seed collection: ripe fruits open explosively, hurling pods and seeds to the ground under and around parent tree. Check seeds for insect damage and discard any with small holes.
- Type of seed: recalcitrant.
- Sowing method: soak seeds for 24 hours before sowing flat in pots at a
depth of 4cm. - Sowing medium: topsoil.
- Germination period: 25 – 30 days.
- Germination percentage: 66%.
- Growth/development: seedlings require deep shade; growth is fast and
they can be planted out 8 weeks after germinating.
Uses of Pentaclethra macrophylla Benth
Oil bean seeds have been found to cure numerable diseases; notable among them are:
- Heart disease
- Diarrhea
- Epilepsy
- Malnutrition
- Stomach disorder
- Iron deficiency
- Eye problem and
- Insomnia
- Consumption of the seeds will reduce the risk of cancer and tobacco-related diseases
References
- Common Uses of Pentaclethramacrophylla in West Africa. Research Gate. Accessed August 8, 2021
- Antinociceptive, Anti-inflammatory and Cytotoxic Activities of PENTACLETHRA MACROPHYLLA Aqueous extracts in mice. Bioline International. Accessed August 8, 2021
- Pentaclethra. Wikipedia. Accessed August 8, 202