Plukenetia conophora

Plukenetia conophora
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
(unranked):	Angiosperms
(unranked):	Eudicots
(unranked):	Rosids
Order:	Malpighiales
Family:	Euphorbiaceae
Genus:	Plukenetia
Species:	P. conophora
Binomial name
Plukenetia conophora Müll. Arg.
Synonyms
Tetracarpidium conophorum (Müll.Arg.) Hutch. & Dalziel

Plukenetia conophora, also called Nigerian walnut, and conophor, is a climbing shrub in the genus Plukenetia. It is not related to the walnut, being so named because its nuts bear a superficial resemblance to the walnut. It is native to tropical western and central Africa from Togo to Congo and in Sierra Leone. It is abundant in the Nigeria, Cameroon, Republic of the Congo and Democratic Republic of Congo. It prefers rain-forest hedge in half-shady places; low bush; secondary forest; plantations at elevations from 250–1,400 m (820–4,590 ft)

Morphology

It produces stems usually 3–15 m (9.8–49.2 ft) long, though they can be up to 30 m (98 ft) long. The seed is thin-shelled and about 25 mm (0.98 in) long.It is contained in a pod which may house;one shelled nut (single), two shelled nut (double) and three shelled nut. The walnut shells could be black or brown from the plant. The nut is whitish upon cracking from the shell. The nut has a thin layer in between two halves (when a nut is divided into two equal parts) of nut.

Usage

It is widely cultivated for its nuts, which are cooked and consumed as snacks; often served with corn. The seed can be ground into a powder and used with flour in making cakes.Eaten raw, it has an after bitter taste.The seed yields 48-60% of a light golden coloured oil with a flavour resembling linseed oil. The oil is highly unsaturated with 64% linolenic acid; 11% oleic acid; 10% linoleic acid and 15% palmitic acid and stearic acid.

Local names

• Awusa, Asala in Yoruba, Nigeria
• Ukpa in Igbo, Nigeria
• Kaso, Ngak in Cameroon