Canarium schwienfuthii (African Olive) Seeds
Canarium schweinfurthii
| African canarium | |
|---|---|
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| Leaves of Canarium schweinfurthii | |
Scientific classification
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| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Eudicots |
| Clade: | Rosids |
| Order: | Sapindales |
| Family: | Burseraceae |
| Genus: | Canarium |
| Species: |
C. schweinfurthii
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| Binomial name | |
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Canarium schweinfurthii |
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Canarium schweinfurthii (commonly known as the bush candle, African olive,[2] African elemi, or canarium), is a species of large tree native to tropical Africa.[3] Names in many African languages are variations of mupafu.[4]
Description[edit]
Because of similarities in their fruit and leaves, African elemi may be confused with Dacryodes edulis.[5]
Distribution and habitat[edit]
African elemi is found from the coast of Nigeria, Angola to Uganda.[5]
Uses[edit]
The African elemi tree is one of several sources of the economically useful oleoresin known elemi. In West Africa this resin is traditionally burned for fumigating dwellings and mixed with oil for body paint.[6] African elemi bears edible fruit with a thick, dense, hard shell.[5]
The hard stones of its fruit are used for traditional divination among Plateau speakers in the Middle Belt of central Nigeria.[2]