Dactyladenia barteri

Dactyladenia barteri is known as monkey fruit. It belongs to the Chrysobalanaceae family. This evergreen tree comes from western and west-central tropical Africa. Its range includes Sierra Leone, Nigeria, Gabon and Congo. It grows in lowland forests and by rivers near savannah. It also grows inland from mangrove forests. People grow it and tend wild plants. They also keep trees when they clear land.

It can grow as a climbing shrub or small tree. Garden listings give its height and spread as 33 feet [10 metres]. Some accounts say it reaches 39 feet [12 metres] tall. Its crown is dense and wide. The crooked trunk has deep grooves along its length. Trees often grow more than one stem. Trunks can reach 0.8–1.3 feet [0.25–0.4 metres] across. Red ants, bees and wasps pollinate its flowers. The sources give no bloom season. They do not describe the fruit in detail.

This tree suits warm, moist sites in the lowland tropics. Records place it below 984 feet [300 metres] above sea level. Reported mean yearly temperatures range from 20 to 34°C. PFAF lists it for USDA zones 10–12. It needs sun and moist soil but survives brief floods. It grows in sand, loam and clay, even poor soils. It copes with a wide pH range, including very acid soil. It grows at a moderate rate. Once established, trees resist fire. They regrow after hard pruning or burning.

Deep roots help hold soil and slow its loss through erosion. The tree helps restore worn-out soil on farms. Its roots draw up nutrients. Fallen plant matter returns them to the soil. The dense crown shades out weeds. Pruned stems rot slowly, serve as mulch and improve soil. Farmers plant it in hedges and between crop rows. Its stems serve as yam stakes and poles for building. The hard wood lasts well and resists termites. People also use it as fuel. PFAF reports nitrogen fixation and value for wildlife.

Seeds sprout with ease. Growers can sow them where they will grow. Young plants raised in nursery bags survive better after planting out. Young stem cuttings root well in the wettest season. People also use stakes to make living fences. The sources report no edible uses or known hazards. They list bark and roots as traditional purgatives, not food. Purgatives cause the bowels to empty. This use does not show that home treatment is safe. The sources give no wider account of pests or disease.