![Petits colas exposés au marché Dantokpa Bénin](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/c4/Petits_colas_expos%C3%A9s_au_march%C3%A9_Dantokpa_B%C3%A9nin.jpg)
''Garcinia kola'' (bitter kola (a name sometimes also used for ''
G. afzelii'') is a species of
flowering plant
Flowering plants are plants that bear flowers and fruits, and form the clade Angiospermae (), commonly called angiosperms. The term "angiosperm" is derived from the Greek words ('container, vessel') and ('seed'), and refers to those plants th ...
belonging to the
Mangosteen
Mangosteen (''Garcinia mangostana''), also known as the purple mangosteen, is a tropical evergreen tree with edible fruit native to tropical lands surrounding the Indian Ocean. Its origin is uncertain due to widespread prehistoric cultivation. ...
genus
Garcinia
''Garcinia'' is a genus of flowering plants in the family Clusiaceae native to Asia, America, Australia, tropical and southern Africa, and Polynesia. The number of species is disputed; Plants of the World Online (POWO) recognise up to 400. Common ...
of the family
Clusiaceae
The Clusiaceae or Guttiferae Juss. (1789) (''nom. alt. et cons.'' = alternative and valid name) are a family of plants including 13 genera and ca 750 species. Several former members of Clusiacae are now placed in Calophyllaceae and Hypericaceae. ...
(a.k.a.
Guttiferae
The Clusiaceae or Guttiferae Juss. (1789) (''nom. alt. et cons.'' = alternative and valid name) are a family of plants including 13 genera and ca 750 species. Several former members of Clusiacae are now placed in Calophyllaceae and Hypericacea ...
). It is found in
Benin
Benin ( , ; french: Bénin , ff, Benen), officially the Republic of Benin (french: République du Bénin), and formerly Dahomey, is a country in West Africa. It is bordered by Togo to the west, Nigeria to the east, Burkina Faso to the north ...
,
Cameroon
Cameroon (; french: Cameroun, ff, Kamerun), officially the Republic of Cameroon (french: République du Cameroun, links=no), is a country in west-central Africa. It is bordered by Nigeria to the west and north; Chad to the northeast; the C ...
,
The Gambia
The Gambia,, ff, Gammbi, ar, غامبيا officially the Republic of The Gambia, is a country in West Africa. It is the smallest country within mainland AfricaHoare, Ben. (2002) ''The Kingfisher A-Z Encyclopedia'', Kingfisher Publicatio ...
,
Democratic Republic of the Congo
The Democratic Republic of the Congo (french: République démocratique du Congo (RDC), colloquially "La RDC" ), informally Congo-Kinshasa, DR Congo, the DRC, the DROC, or the Congo, and formerly and also colloquially Zaire, is a country in ...
,
Ivory Coast
Ivory Coast, also known as Côte d'Ivoire, officially the Republic of Côte d'Ivoire, is a country on the southern coast of West Africa. Its capital is Yamoussoukro, in the centre of the country, while its largest city and economic centre is ...
,
Mali
Mali (; ), officially the Republic of Mali,, , ff, 𞤈𞤫𞤲𞥆𞤣𞤢𞥄𞤲𞤣𞤭 𞤃𞤢𞥄𞤤𞤭, Renndaandi Maali, italics=no, ar, جمهورية مالي, Jumhūriyyāt Mālī is a landlocked country in West Africa. Mali ...
,
Gabon
Gabon (; ; snq, Ngabu), officially the Gabonese Republic (french: République gabonaise), is a country on the west coast of Central Africa. Located on the equator, it is bordered by Equatorial Guinea to the northwest, Cameroon to the north ...
,
Ghana
Ghana (; tw, Gaana, ee, Gana), officially the Republic of Ghana, is a country in West Africa. It abuts the Gulf of Guinea and the Atlantic Ocean to the south, sharing borders with Ivory Coast in the west, Burkina Faso in the north, and To ...
,
Liberia
Liberia (), officially the Republic of Liberia, is a country on the West African coast. It is bordered by Sierra Leone to Liberia–Sierra Leone border, its northwest, Guinea to its north, Ivory Coast to its east, and the Atlantic Ocean ...
,
Nigeria
Nigeria ( ), , ig, Naìjíríyà, yo, Nàìjíríà, pcm, Naijá , ff, Naajeeriya, kcg, Naijeriya officially the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a country in West Africa. It is situated between the Sahel to the north and the Gulf o ...
,
Senegal
Senegal,; Wolof: ''Senegaal''; Pulaar: 𞤅𞤫𞤲𞤫𞤺𞤢𞥄𞤤𞤭 (Senegaali); Arabic: السنغال ''As-Sinighal'') officially the Republic of Senegal,; Wolof: ''Réewum Senegaal''; Pulaar : 𞤈𞤫𞤲𞤣𞤢𞥄𞤲𞤣𞤭 ...
and
Sierra Leone
Sierra Leone,)]. officially the Republic of Sierra Leone, is a country on the southwest coast of West Africa. It is bordered by Liberia to the southeast and Guinea surrounds the northern half of the nation. Covering a total area of , Sierra ...
. Its natural
habitat
In ecology, the term habitat summarises the array of resources, physical and biotic factors that are present in an area, such as to support the survival and reproduction of a particular species. A species habitat can be seen as the physical ...
is subtropical or tropical moist lowland
forest
A forest is an area of land dominated by trees. Hundreds of definitions of forest are used throughout the world, incorporating factors such as tree density, tree height, land use, legal standing, and ecological function. The United Nations' ...
s.
The fruit, seeds ("bitter kola nuts") and bark of the plant have been used for centuries in
folk medicine
Traditional medicine (also known as indigenous medicine or folk medicine) comprises medical aspects of traditional knowledge that developed over generations within the folk beliefs of various societies, including indigenous peoples, before the ...
to treat ailments from coughs to fever. According to a report from the Center For International Forestry Research, ''Garcinia kola'' trade is still important to the indigenous communities and villages in Nigeria.
''
Cola acuminata
''Cola acuminata'' is a species in the genus ''Cola'', of the family Malvaceae, native to tropical Africa. It is generally known for its fruit, the kola nut, originally used to impart the cola flavor in manufactured beverages, such as Coca-Cola ...
'', source of the true kola nut, is not related to ''Garcinia kola'' belonging not to Clusiaceae but to a subfamily of the mallow family
Malvaceae
Malvaceae, or the mallows, is a family of flowering plants estimated to contain 244 genera with 4225 known species. Well-known members of economic importance include okra, cotton, cacao and durian. There are also some genera containing familiar ...
.
Traditional medicine
![Garcinia kola](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/f7/Garcinia_kola.sticks_and_seeds%2Cdetail.jpg)
''Garcinia kola'' is traditionally used by African
folk healer
A folk healer is an unlicensed person who practices the art of healing using traditional practices, herbal remedies and the power of suggestion.
The healer may be a highly trained person who pursues their specialties, learning by study, observat ...
s who believe that it has purgative, antiparasitic, and antimicrobial properties.
Maurice Iwu
Maurice Mmaduakolam Iwu (born 21 April 1950) is a Nigerian Professor of Pharmacognosy who was appointed Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in June 2005, and was removed from office in April 2010.
Background
Maurice Mm ...
, Angela R. Duncan, and Chris O. Okunji
New Antimicrobials of Plant Origin
p. 457–462. 1999, ASHS Press, Alexandria, VA The seeds are used for liver disorders, bronchitis, throat infections, colic, head or chest colds, and cough.
[ It is also used as a ]chewing stick
A teeth-cleaning twig (in India: ''datun'') is an oral hygiene tool made from a twig from a tree. It can help to prevent tooth decay and gum disease.
History
Chew sticks are twigs or roots of certain plants that are chewed until one end is fra ...
.[
]
Barriers to cultivation
Despite the socio-economic importance of ''Garcinia kola'', cultivation of the species is limited. Factors that have discouraged farmers from growing ''Garcinia kola'' include difficulties in germination that reduces seedling availability. Most productive trees were left in the wild when farmers cut plots out of the forest. Researchers have studied the germination problems of ''G. kola'' seeds and suggested various means of breaking its dormancy. However, there is still a need to investigate simple and practicable methods that farmers could easily adopt with low technological input.
''G. kola'' seeds have both seed coat dormancy and physiological dormancy probably imposed by the chemicals in the seed. Seed coat dormancy of ''Garcinia kola'' can be reduced by removing the seed coat before sowing, while physiological dormancy can be reduced by soaking in water for 72 hours.[Yakubu ''et al''., 2014 ] Removal of the seed coat, soaking in water for 72 hours, placing inside air-tight transparent polythene bags and sprinkling water on the seeds when needed for constant moisture gives an early germination period of two weeks,[ while the combination of freshly harvested seeds, pierced minimally and tied in black nylon reduces the germination period to between five and seven days as the piercing or nicking procedure makes for quick availability of water and oxygen to the seed embryo.][Okonkwo, H. O., Koyejo, O. A., Osewa, S. O. and Babalola, O. T. (2014). Techniques for Improvement of Garcinia Kola (Heckel) Seeds Germination. International Journal of Applied Research and Technology. 3(8): 80 – 86]
Gallery
File:Garcinia kola - Plant.jpg, "Bitter kola" tree (''Garcinia kola'') growing in Limbe Botanical Gardens
Limbe Botanic Garden or Limbe Botanical Gardens (LBG) is the principal botanic garden of Cameroon. It was created in 1892, during the German colonial era, in Victoria (former name of Limbe), between the ocean and Mount Cameroon. Initially with an ...
, Cameroon
File:Garcinia Kola Feuilles.jpg, ''Garcinia kola'' leaves, Limbe Botanical Gardens
File:Garcinia Kola Germination.jpg, Flowers of ''Garcinia kola'' (a.k.a. "bitter kola")
File:Garcinia Kola Fruits mûrs.jpg, Ripe fruits of ''Garcinia kola'' (a.k.a. "bitter kola")
File:Garcinia kola MHNT.BOT.2009.13.6.jpg, Two "bitter kola" seeds, one with brown rind removed
File:Cola-Acuminata-Heckel.jpg, Seeds of true / "female" kola (= ''Cola acuminata
''Cola acuminata'' is a species in the genus ''Cola'', of the family Malvaceae, native to tropical Africa. It is generally known for its fruit, the kola nut, originally used to impart the cola flavor in manufactured beverages, such as Coca-Cola ...
'') compared and contrasted with those of bitter / "male" kola (= ''Garcinia kola'')
References
{{Taxonbar, from=Q5233099
Flora of West Tropical Africa
Plants used in traditional African medicine
Trees of Africa
Vulnerable plants
kola
KOLA (99.9 FM) is a commercial radio station licensed to Redlands, California, and broadcasting to the Riverside-San Bernardino-Inland Empire radio market. It is owned by the Anaheim Broadcasting Corporation and it airs a classic hits radio form ...
Taxonomy articles created by Polbot
Plants described in 1883