African mammee-apple

Names and Synonyms

Scientific Names

Accepted name

Synonyms

• Garcinia golaensis
• Ochrocarpos africana
• Mammea gilletii
• Mammea giorgiana
• Mammea ebboro

Regional and Traditional Names

Sources: Wikidata, Catalogue of Life

Taxonomical Classification

This plant belongs to the kingdom Plantae and the phylum Streptophyta, situated within the class Equisetopsida and subclass Magnoliidae. It is further classified under the order Malpighiales and the family Calophyllaceae. Finally, it is identified by the genus Mammea, specifically as the species Mammea africana.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Distribution

This plant is primarily found throughout the region of West Tropical Africa. Specifically, its presence is documented across several different nations within this zone. In the northern reaches of this belt, it can be located in Benin and Ghana. Moving further west, the species is also distributed through Guinea and Ivory Coast. Finally, its geographical range extends into the territory of Liberia.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Botanical Identification

Life history

The life history of Mammea africana is characterized by its nature as a perennial species, ensuring its presence in the ecosystem over many successive years. As a phanerophyte, it maintains its photosynthetic organs on elevated structures, specifically as a large tree that keeps its buds well above the ground level. This plant exhibits an evergreen deciduousness, meaning it retains its foliage throughout the year, providing continuous vegetative cover and stability within its habitat. Through its phanerophyte life form, it effectively occupies the upper canopy layers, sustaining a long-term biological presence in its environment.

Deciduousness :

evergreen

Life form :

phanerophyte

Lifecycle :

perennial

Morphology

The morphology of Mammea africana is characterized by its growth form as a large, woody tree. It is a self-supporting species that does not function as a climber or a liana, nor does it exhibit parasitic behavior, remaining an independent organism. The plant is strictly terrestrial, lacking any aquatic, semiaquatic, or epiphytic tendencies. In terms of stature, it is a significant specimen, with a plant height that typically ranges from a minimum of approximately 15.24 m to a maximum of roughly 30.48 m, with a mean height recorded at 35 m.

Aquatic :

terrestrial

Climber :

self-supporting

Epiphyte :

terrestrial

Growth form :

tree

Parasite :

independent

Plant height max:

30.48037064 m

Plant height mean:

35 m

Plant height min:

15.24018532 m

Woodiness :

woody

Physiology

The physiology of Mammea africana is characterized by a C3 photosynthetic pathway, which involves the direct fixation of carbon dioxide through the Calvin cycle within the mesophyll cells. Unlike plants that utilize C4 or CAM mechanisms to mitigate photorespiration, this species relies on the standard enzymatic efficiency of RuBisCO for carbon assimilation. Furthermore, the plant does not function as a nitrogen fixer, meaning it lacks the specialized symbiotic relationships with diazotrophic bacteria required to convert atmospheric nitrogen into bioavailable forms, relying instead on the uptake of nitrates and ammonium from the soil substrate.

Nitrogen fixer :

no

Photosynthetic pathway :

C3

Reproduction

The reproductive cycle of Mammea africana is characterized by a specific seasonal pattern, with the fruiting period typically occurring in November. The plant produces fleshy, berry-type fruits that are classified as indehiscent, meaning they do not split open at maturity to release their contents. In terms of genetic reproduction, self-fertilization is absent, indicating a reliance on cross-pollination. Once the fruit is mature, the dispersal syndrome is zoochorous, suggesting that animals play a primary role in spreading the seeds. The seeds themselves are substantial in size, maintaining a consistent volume of 59,000 mm³.

Dehiscence :

indehiscent

Dispersal syndrome :

zoochorous

Fruit dryness :

fleshy

Fruit type :

berry

Fruiting time :

Nov

Seed volume max:

59000 mm³

Self fertilization :

absent

Sources: Global Inventory of Floras and Traits (GIFT)

Plant Parts

Mammea africana has 1 reported plant parts identified across 1 scientific publications and several other databases that are studied for medicinal purposes. The most consistently reported plant part include stem.

Stem

1. Journal of ethnopharmacology

Chemicals

Mammea africana has 1 reported phytochemicals identified across 1 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include Tannins.

Tannins

1. Phytotherapy research : PTR

Preparations