Meet the crops

Search
Type

Boscia senegalensis

Boscia senagalensis

Common Name: Aizen, Nabedega
Description 
Boscia senegalensis, or hanza, is a member of the family Capparaceae.The plant originated from West Africa. Still a traditional food plant in Africa, this little-known fruit has potential to improve nutrition, boost food security, foster rural development and support sustainable landcare.
B. senegalensis is a perennial woody plant species of the Boscia genus in the caper (Capparaceae) family.This plant is classified as a dicot. Native to the Sahel region in Africa. . . .Read more

References
Switchboard
Wikipedia

Vitellaria paradoxa

Vitellaria paradoxaCommon Name:Shea

Decsription
Vitellaria paradoxa is a small to medium-sized tree (min. 7) 10-15 (max. 25) m high; much branched, dense, spreading, round to hemispherical crown. In mature trees the bole is short, usually 3-4 m but exceptionally 8 m, with a diameter ranging from 0.3 to 1 m, but most frequently 0.6 m. Bark conspicuously thick, corky, horizontally and longitudinally deeply fissured; protects older trees against bush fires. Slash pale pink, secreting white latex, as do broken twigs or petioles.
Leaves in dense clusters, spirally .…Read more
References.
Switchboard
Wikipedia

Faidherbia albida

Faidherbia albidaCommon Name:Acacia (Apple-ring)
Description
Faidherbia albida is one of the largest thorn trees, reaching 30 m in height, with spreading branches and a rounded crown. Bark rough and dark brown, or smooth and greenish-grey; young branches white to ashy grey and characteristically zigzag in shape. Stipules spinescent, straight, about 2 cm long, creamy coloured with brown tips. Slash fibrous, pink to light brown. The roots can grow to 40 m deep.
Leaves with 3-10 pairs of pinnae, each bearing 6-23 pairs of leaflets; leaflets quite large, 3.5-9 x 0.7-3 mm, grey-green. Modified spiny stipules at the base of the leaves, thickened at the base, straight and robust. (The basal thickening is a characteristic distinguishing. ..…Read more
References
Switchboard
Wikipedia

Ximenia caffra

Ximenia caffraCommon Name: Sour plum
Description
Ximenia caffra is a sparsely branched shrub or small tree to 6 m tall with a shapeless, untidy crown. Branches and twigs are armed with stout axillary spines and are glabrous or dense tomentose. Bark is grayish-brown to black, longitudinally fissured bark, red slash and rough on older, larger species.
Leaves simple, alternate, elliptic to lanceolate, 2.5-9 cm long by 1.2-5 cm wide, leathery, blue-green, often fascicled on dwarf, lateral shoots, margin entire, apex rounded or notched, base broadly tapering to rounded, often hairy when young and turning to shiny green when getting older and petiole about 8 mm long. . . . .Read more
References
ICRAF Switchboard 
Wikipedia