Irvingia is a genus of tropical trees in the family Irvingiaceae, placed within the order Malpighiales. The genus comprises species native to sub-Saharan Africa and Southeast Asia, and is commonly known by names including African mango, wild mango, bush mango, dika, and ogbono.
The trees produce large, mango-like drupes with fibrous flesh, but they are cultivated and harvested primarily for their seeds — dense, fat- and protein-rich nuts with significant economic and culinary importance across Central and West Africa. The nuts are subtly aromatic and are typically sun-dried for preservation. They are sold whole, in powder form, or ground into a paste variously called dika bread or Gabon chocolate. The nuts are high in mucilage, making them a traditional and widely used thickening agent in soups such as ogbono soup. They may also be cold-pressed to yield a vegetable oil. Beyond the fruit and seeds, Irvingia trees yield a hard, dense timber valued in construction.
The genus was formally described in 1860 and named in honour of Edward George Irving, a surgeon in the Royal Navy. Well-known species include Irvingia gabonensis, the African mango most associated with the dika nut trade, Irvingia grandifolia, and Irvingia malayana, which extends the genus's range into Southeast Asia.
Etymology
The genus name Irvingia honours Edward George Irving, a surgeon in the British Royal Navy. The genus was formally described in 1860.
Distribution
Irvingia is native to tropical Africa and Southeast Asia. The majority of species occur across Central and West Africa, while Irvingia malayana extends the genus's range into Southeast Asian forests.
Cultural Uses
The seeds (nuts) of Irvingia trees have deep-rooted culinary and economic importance in West and Central Africa. Dried and ground, they form dika bread (also called Gabon chocolate), a traditional paste traded widely across the region. Their high mucilage content makes them the defining thickening ingredient in ogbono soup, a staple dish in Nigeria and neighbouring countries. The nuts are also cold-pressed for vegetable oil. Irvingia timber is hard and dense, and has been used locally in construction.
