[1] The name Pentaclethra is derived from Ancient Greek, penta meaning 'five', and cleithro meaning 'bolt', which alludes to the five imbricate sepals and five petals joined at the base, characteristic of this genus.

This is the dominant tree in certain seasonal swamp forests in coastal areas of Atlantic Panama.

[3] Pentaclethra, popularly known as ugba (raw oil bean seeds) in Africa, has great nutritional value.

Proximate analysis[5] of raw oil bean seed reveals that it is composed of proteins (36–42%), lipids (43–47%) and carbohydrates (4–17%) [6][7] The high content of the essential amino acids makes the seed a potential source of protein.

This could explain why pentaclethra (ugba) is often used as a flavoring agent for soups in southeastern Nigeria.