Xylopia aethiopica
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Xylopia aethiopica |
Xylopia aethiopica is an evergreen, aromatic tree, growing up to 20m high. It is a native to the lowland rainforest and moist fringe forests in the savanna zones of Africa.
The fruit of X. aethiopica (Grains of Selim) is used as a soup condiment and a cough remedy.
[edit] Etymology
Xylopia is a compression from Greek ξυλον πικρον (xylon pikron) meaning "bitter wood", aethiopica refers to the origin of the tree, though currently most of it grows in Ghana.
[edit] References
- CRC Handbook of African Medicinal Plants, by Maurice M. Iwu, CRC-Press. ISBN 0-8493-4266-X
- Gernot Katzer's Spice Pages [1] (accessed October 26 2005)