''Cola verticillata'' is a

species In biology, a species is the basic unit of classification and a taxonomic rank of an organism, as well as a unit of biodiversity. A species is often defined as the largest group of organisms in which any two individuals of the appropriate s ...

of tree in the genus ''

Cola Cola is a carbonated soft drink flavored with vanilla, cinnamon, citrus oils and other flavorings. Cola became popular worldwide after the American pharmacist John Stith Pemberton invented Coca-Cola, a trademarked brand, in 1886, which was imi ...

'', of the 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 ...

, native to the forests of tropical Africa. Common names include owe cola, slippery cola and mucilage cola. It was first described by the Danish botanist

Peter Thonning Peter Thonning (9 October 1775 – 29 January 1848) was a Danish physician and botanist. Biography Peter Thonning was born in Copenhagen, Denmark. He was the son of Rasmus Andersen Thonning (1740-1817) and Dorothea Spendrup (1755-1835). He bec ...

as ''Sterculia verticillata'', and was given its current name of ''Cola verticillata'' by the Austrian botanist Otto Stapf and the French botanist

Auguste Chevalier Auguste may refer to: People Surname * Arsène Auguste (born 1951), Haitian footballer * Donna Auguste (born 1958), African-American businesswoman * Georges Auguste (born 1933), Haitian painter * Henri Auguste (1759–1816), Parisian gold and ...

Description

''Cola verticillata'' is a medium-sized tree, up to in height, the lower third of the trunk being devoid of branches. It has evergreen, oval, glossy leaves arranged in whorls of three or four, and panicles of starlike, cream-coloured flowers with purplish-brown striations growing in the leaf axils. The fruits are similar in appearance to the kola nuts of ''

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 ...

'' but are very bitter, and considered inedible.

Distribution and habitat

''Cola verticillata'' is native to tropical West Central Africa; its range includes Ghana, Benin, Nigeria, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Gabon, Republic of the Congo, Democratic Republic of the Congo and Angola. It grows in lowland forests, at altitudes of up to , particularly near streams and in swamps.

Ecology

The kola weevil ('' Balanogastris kolae'') damages cultivated kola nuts. The weevil is also attracted to, and successfully breeds on, ''C. verticillata'' and ''

Cola nitida ''Cola nitida'' is a species of plant belonging to the family Malvaceae. It is a tree native to the rainforests of tropical West Africa. Common names include kola nut, cola, kola and bitter kola. The seeds contain caffeine and are chewed as a s ...

''; these widely distributed wild ''Cola'' species may maintain populations of weevils even when cultivated species are unavailable locally.

Uses

The timber of ''Cola verticillata'' is hard and white; in southern Nigeria it is used to make fetish images. The trees are sometimes planted in villages, the nuts, which contain significant amounts of

caffeine Caffeine is a central nervous system (CNS) stimulant of the methylxanthine class. It is mainly used recreationally as a cognitive enhancer, increasing alertness and attentional performance. Caffeine acts by blocking binding of adenosine to ...

, being gathered from the wild when ripe and used to make a drink.

References

{{Taxonbar verticillata Flora of West-Central Tropical Africa Flora of the Democratic Republic of the Congo Taxa named by Auguste Chevalier