Mongongo

The leaves are a distinctive hand-shape, and the pale yellow wood is similar in characteristics to balsa, being both lightweight and strong.

The egg-shaped, velvety fruits ripen and fall between March and May each year, and contain a thin exocarp around a thick, hard, pitted shell containing an edible nut.

[4] S. rautanenii (mongongo) R. heudelotii (njangsa) — tropical Africa G. madagascariensis (farafatsy) — south-western Madagascar G. stipularis — West Madagascar G. rottleriformis — peninsular India and Sri Lanka G. gosai — eastern Ethiopia to Kenya The mongongo is distributed widely through subtropical southern Africa.

The oil from the nuts has also been traditionally used as a body rub in the dry winter months to clean and moisten the skin.

The wood, being both strong and light, makes excellent fishing floats, toys, insulating material and drawing boards.

Mongongo nut, with US penny for scale