Coula edulis

Coula edulis is a tree in the genus Coula, native to tropical western Africa from Sierra Leone to Angola. It is plentiful in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Nigeria and Sierra Leone. It prefers tropical regions and is tolerant of light shade. It can be found in the top canopy of forest as well as the lower story and has no special soil requirements. It is an evergreen tree growing to a height of 25–38 m, and has a dense crown that can cast deep shade. The leaves are arranged alternately, simple, 10–30 cm long and 4 cm broad, with an entire margin and an acuminate apex. The flowers are produced from April to June, and are greenish yellow, with either four or five petals. The nut is an ellipsoidal drupe available from August to January, 3–4 cm long, with flesh surrounding the kernel, 5–6 mm thick, smooth in texture and can be red or green. The kernel shell is extremely hard and makes germination difficult. The nuts are usually found under the mother trees. Common names include Gabon nut and African walnut. It is not related to the walnut, being so named because its nuts bear a superficial resemblance to the walnut.