Trachyphrynium braunianum Baker

Rhizome creeping, much branched.. Bamboo-like shoots 2–4.5 m. or occasionally up to 7.5 m. high, forming thickets.. Cataphylls persistent, up to 21 cm. long.. Leaves very variable in size; blades elliptic, slightly asymmetrical, shortly acuminate, rounded or cordate at the base, held ± in two ranks with the more curved margin nearer to the stem, ranging from 5.5 x 2.0 cm. and 12.5 x 4.0 cm. to 20 x 7.5 cm. and 19 x 10 cm.; petiole above the joint 0.5–1.7 cm. long.. Inflorescence up to 20 cm. long with up to 43 nodes, usually shorter with fewer nodes; internodes 4–7 cm. long, shortly pubescent; bracts 2.0–2.8 cm. long; peduncle 2–4 mm. long; fleshy bracteoles about 2 mm. long.. Flowers white, sometimes tinged pink or purple; expanded flower about 2 cm. in diameter.. Capsule lobed if more than 1-seeded, obovoid or the lobes ± obovoid, about 1.5 cm. long, strongly muricate, orange (see Fig. 1/1); seed obovoid, about 7 mm. diameter, glossy black or somewhat brownish, with a brownish-white aril.. Fig. 1/1 and 1A.

A tropical plant. It grows as an under-shrub in forests in West Africa, often near water.

The seeds are eaten raw as a sweet.