African peach scientifically known as Nauclea latifolia smith is a multi-stemmed shrub or small tree belonging to Rubiaceae family. The plant is native to tropical Africa and Asia. It is widely distributed throughout the forest and tropical forests of Benin, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Democratic Republic of Congo, Ghana and Nigeria. It is commonly found in Senegal, Cameroon, Nigeria, and as far as Sudan, tropical and Southern Africa. In Nigeria, it is found in areas like Kontagora, Abuja, Shaki, Akwa Ibom, Cross River, Enugu, Abakaliki and other parts of the country. Few of the popular common names of the plant are African peach, Pin cushion tree, Guinea peach, Sierra Leone peach, Bishop’s head, Angatu, Chipoka, Dhiot, Ebolo, Goat, Gongan, Gounge, Guinea peach, Karmadodah, Kwomo, Logotomic and Miaar.

Its generic name is derived from the Greek word sarco which means fleshy and cephalus means headed in reference to the flowers. The specific epithet is derived from the Latin word lati which means broad and folius means leaved. It is a valuable medicinal plant that is widespread in the humid tropical rainforest zone or in savannah woodlands where various extracts of the plant are used for the therapeutic management of malaria, hypertension, prolonged menstrual flow, cough, gonorrhea, stomach disorders, dysentery, ulcers and liver ailments. The edible fruit is gathered from the wild for local use. Much appreciated by the local populace, it is often sold in local markets.

African Peach Facts

African peach Quick Facts
Name:	African peach
Scientific Name:	Nauclea latifolia
Origin	Tropical Africa and Asia
Shapes	Compound fruit. The fruits are usually fleshy, shallow-pitched, with numerous embedded seeds surrounded by a pink edible, sweet- sour pulp
Taste	Sour (Flesh)
Health benefits	Support for jaundice, fever, stomach ache, dysentery, tuberculosis, asthma, bronchitis, cough, diabetes, hernia, diarrhea, piles and dental caries

Name	African peach
Scientific Name	Nauclea latifolia
Native	Tropical Africa and Asia. It is widely distributed throughout the forest and tropical forests of Benin, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Democratic Republic of Congo, Ghana and Nigeria
Common Names	Pin cushion tree, Guinea peach, Sierra Leone peach, Bishop’s head, African Peach, Angatu, Chipoka, Dhiot, Ebolo, Goat, Gongan, Gounge, Guinea peach, Karmadodah, Kwomo, Logotomic, Miaar, Monyo, Mutma, Nauclea, Negro-peach, Pincushion, Rata-bakmi, Sukisia, african cinchona, african quinine, akabi awotso, banampe, bari, baro, bati country fig, brampe, country fig, country-fig, daindaté, dikabiatso, doundake, doundaké, ebele, ebeliodole, ebolo, edoil, egbesi, egbessi root, ekomokoi, ekusiawa, eomokoi, eutukidole, galun gun, guinea peach, guineapeach fathead tree, gulun gun, hwene hwenti, kankanu, katama, kina du rio nunez, kisia, kuru kuntu, kusia, lago, molo, munyu, mutamatama, mutma, nauclea, negro peach, nemo, njimo, nyimo, opepe, osupuwa, owentin, oyefa oshwefa, oyefa tshofa, peachroot, peyae biasa, pêcher africain, sarcocephalus latifolius, sierra leone peach, sierra leone-peach, supaka, tafashia, tafashia. telede, tshofa tshuru, woacroolie root, wuacruli
Name in Other Languages	Benin: koma Cameroon: Koumkouma English: African cinchona, African peach, African quinine, Doundake bark, Doundaki bark, Guinea peach, Negro peach, Sierra Leone peach, Country fig, Strawberry tree, pincushion tree French: Kina du Rio Nunez, Liane à fraises, Liane-fraise, Pêcher africain, Quinquina africaine, Scille maritime, oignon marine, medicinal squill Guinea: Badi, bahi, baro, bati, doudé, dundaké, dundé, dundu badi, dunndukké, edjik, kulundo, mon leuth, nandok Guinea: Bissa, dundakhé Hausa: Tafashiya, tashiyaigia, tafiyaigia, Marga, tabashiya, tuwon biri Hindi: Edjik, mon leuth Ibibio: Mbom-ibong Igede (Benue): Uche Igbo: Ubulu inu, Uvuru-ilu Itsekiri: Itu Kilba: Molsa Mali: Badi, bahi, baro, bati, dundu badi Russian: Naukleya shirokolistnaya (Науклея широколистная) Sierra Leone: Doudé, dundaké, dundé, kulundo, nandok Spanish: Nijmo Togo: koma Uganda: Kibuki-lingi, kilingi Yoruba: Egbẹsi
Plant Growth Habit	Spreading, evergreen, multi-stemmed deciduous, shrub or small tree
Growing Climates	Dry savannah and thickets, undisturbed fringing forest, closed savannah woodland
Plant Size	Varies widely in height from around 10 meters up to 30 meters according to soil and moisture conditions
Bark	Bark is dark gray, fibrous, and cracked
Leaf	Leaves are glabrous, opposite, elliptical, shortly acuminate, obtusely narrowed or nearly rounded at the base, with about 7–8 lateral veins on each side, 2–8 inches long and 1–4 inches wide
Flowering season	April to June
Flower	Open canopy flowers with terminal spherical head like cymes of small whitish flowers. Flower head is up to 2 mm in diameter, sweet scented and sought by bees. The flowers are joined with their calyces
Fruit Shape & Size	Compound fruit. The fruits are usually fleshy, shallow-pitched, with numerous embedded seeds surrounded by a pink edible, sweet- sour pulp
Flesh	Deep red, watery
Seed	Small, ovoid, numerous and brownish with a pleasant taste
Taste	Sour
Plant Parts Used	Roots, stem, bark, and leaves
Season	July to September

Plant Description

African peach is a spreading, evergreen, multi-stemmed deciduous, shrub or small tree with an open canopy, usually branching from low downs the bole. The tree varies widely in height from around 10 meters up to 30 meters according to soil and moisture conditions. The plant is found growing in dry savannah and thickets, undisturbed fringing forest and closed savannah woodland. The bark is dark gray, fibrous, and cracked.

Leaves

Leaves are glabrous, opposite, elliptical, shortly acuminate, obtusely narrowed or nearly rounded at the base, with about 7–8 lateral veins on each side, 2–8 inches long and 1–4 inches wide. Petiole is 1/5– 4/5 inches long. Stipules are short, obtuse, keeled and minutely ciliate. They are shiny green with tufts of hairs, and rounded at the base but pointed at the tip.

Flowers

The plant has an open canopy flowers with terminal spherical head like cymes of small whitish flowers. Flower head is up to 2 mm in diameter, sweet scented and sought by bees. The flowers are joined with their calyces. The tree flowers from April to June.

Fruits

Fertile flowers are followed by a compound fruit. The fruits are usually fleshy, shallow-pitched, with numerous embedded seeds surrounded by a pink edible, sweet- sour pulp (a syncarp up to 3 inches in diameter). The fruits are not appealing but edible. The seeds are usually small, ovoid, numerous and brownish with a pleasant taste but could be emetic if taken in excess. The fruits ripen from July to September.

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