Parinari curatellifolia Planch. ex Benth.

A tree up to 15 m. tall but often considerably less, the bark corky, longitudinally fissured, and the crown rounded in well-grown examples.. Leaves petiolate, variable in shape, but usually oblong or oblong-elliptic, 6.5–12 (–17) × 3.5–6(–9) cm., apically rounded (sometimes emarginate), basally cuneate to cordate (sometimes asymmetrically), coriaceous or ± so, green and glabrous above or with a tomentose midrib, silvery-grey to fulvous-brown-tomentose beneath, sometimes very thickly so, with very prominent midrib and close, subparallel primary nerves.. Inflorescence an open or dense, terminal or axillary panicle, with abundant silvery to fulvous hairs; cymes 2–3-flowered.. Flowers 4–8 mm. long, sweetly smelling.. Calyx rather asymmetrically cup-shaped, ± gibbous ventrally; receptacle internally very shaggy at the throat; calyx-lobes triangular, 1.75–4 mm. long (the dorsal pair a little longer than the others), acute, erect or spreading at anthesis.. Petals white or very pale mauve, not exceeding the calyx-lobes.. Filaments of fertile stamens 1.5–2.75 mm. long; staminodes 0.5–1.5 mm. long, often ± hidden by the throat hairs.. Ovary shaggy; style 3–5 mm. long.. Drupe ellipsoid-ovoid, up to 3.5 × 2.5 cm., edible, yellow when fresh, dark brown when dry and covered in variable density with light-brown patches of cork.

A tropical plant. It is native to tropical Africa. It is common on sandy soils and in open deciduous woodland. It is very sensitive to frost and cold. It grows in areas with an annual rainfall between 700-1,500 mm. It is often in poorly drained soils with a high water table. Plants can re-grow after fire. It grows in areas between sea level and 2,100 m above sea level. It can grow in arid places. It grows in Miombo woodland in Africa.

The fruit are eaten. The fruit are gathered after they fall. The skin and seeds are discarded but the pulp eaten. The fruit are used to make drinks-both intoxicating and non intoxicating. The seeds are used for flavouring and as raw nuts. They are also pounded for soup.

Plants can be grown from seeds. Seeds should be collected fresh from fruit on the tree. The flesh is removed and the seeds dried in the shade. The seeds are sown shallowly. The seedlings need to be transplanted carefully to avoid damage to the taproot. They can be transplanted after 2 years.