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Dialium_guineense
Dialium guineense is a species of legumes from Africa grown in Senegal for its edible fruits. In French, it is notably called black tamarind, velvet tamarind, dialium of Guinea, or afambeau1. In Wolof, it is called solom1. In diola, she is called efrun.
Called velvet tamarind, "Solom" in Senegal, "Black cat" in Ivory Coast, "Mokè" in Guinea, "Assisouin" in Benin, and "Attitoè" in Togo, "Velvet tamarind" in English. The fruit, the shape of a token of 2 to 3cm in diameter is covered with a black velvet containing a brown-orange pulp very pleasant flavor, slightly tart and sweet, which makes this fruit very popular with local people. The bark, leaves and roots are also used for their therapeutic virtues. Its fruit is very rich in glucose and fructose and is a good source of iron, magnesium, copper and protein. Presence of tannins and low level of ascorbic acid.
Description:
Dialium guineense is a forest fruit species. It is in the form of a bush shrub always green.
It gives fruits that look like flattened jujubes. These fruits are composed of a sweet floury pulp of orange color, dries at maturity, wrapped in a thin shell covered with fine black hairs. They are widely marketed in the markets of Senegal's major cities.
West and Central Tropical Africa - Senegal to Nigeria and Central African Republic to Sudan
. A plant in the drier regions of the tropics, where it is at altitudes up to 1000 meters. It grows best in areas where annual daytime temperatures are between 21 and 25 ° C, but can tolerate between 15 and 30 ° C.
It prefers average annual rainfall of between 900 and 1,800 mm, but tolerates between 800 and 2,600 mm.
Prefers moist, fertile and deep soil in full sun.
Prefers a pH between 5.5 and 7, tolerating between 5 and 7.5.
The plant usually produces fruit abundantly.
The tree is a hardwood and grows very slowly. It is therefore important to take care to harvest this product in the wild. Always let some mature trees grow to provide seeds for the future.
Harvesting the tree for its wood is difficult because the wood is dense and hard. It often has flares, which must be cut before cutting, because much of the wood would be wasted if the trunk was cut above them. The logs can not be transported by the river when they flow in the water.
This species has a symbiotic relationship with some soil bacteria, these bacteria form nodules on the roots and fix atmospheric nitrogen. Some of this nitrogen is used by the growing plant but some can also be used by other plants growing nearby
Edible uses
Fruits - raw or cooked. Peeled and eaten raw.
The red flesh inside the pod surrounding the seeds has a pleasant, slightly acidic and slightly astringent taste.
It can be dried and chewed, or macerated in cold water to form a thirst-quenching acidic drink.
It is also used in the preparation of chutneys and preserves.
The fruits are more or less circular and flattened, but sometimes almost globose, up to 25mm in diameter.
Leaves A bitter taste.
Medicinal
The bark and leaves are used as a treatment against several diseases.
The root bark is used for the treatment of coughs.
Bark to treat stomatitis and also toothache.
Uses of agroforestry:
The tree is used as a natural fallow species for the restoration of fertility.
Other uses
The heartwood is reddish brown with pink streaks; the sapwood is whitish with distinct ripple marks. The texture is fine, the grain itself. The wood is hard, heavy, durable. Due to the high silicate content of the wood, the shafts and saws are quickly blunted. A beautiful wood, it is used for vehicles, houses and floors.
Note: This plant is most commonly used to provide wood for the fufu pestle.
Young trees are felled and destroyed for this purpose.
It is said that wood makes a good fuel and coal