Tetracarpidium (Plukenetia conophora)
Description
Plukenetia conophora, also called�Nigerian walnut, and�conophor, is a climbing�shrub�in the genus�Plukenetia. It is not related to the�walnut, being so named because its nuts bear a superficial resemblance to the walnut. It is native to tropical western and central�Africa�from�Togo�to�Congo�and in�Sierra Leone. It is abundant in the�Nigeria,�Cameroon,�Republic of the Congo�and�Democratic Republic of Congo. It prefers�rain-forest�hedge in half-shady places; low bush; secondary forest; plantations at elevations from 250�1,400�m (820�4,590�ft).Although it is well recorded in Sierra Leone, it is apparently not indigenous to Sierra Leone, since it is not recorded in�Liberia�and�Ghana. Its presence in Sierra Leone is due to returning slaves for it is known to the�Krio�by its Yoruba (Nigerian) name.Plukenetia conophora�is the only�Plukenetia�species native to�West Africa�or�Central Africa. Other�Plukenetia�species are indigenous to other parts of Africa, the�Indian Subcontinent,�Southeast Asia, and�America.
Taxonomic tree
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Domain: Eukarya
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Kingdom: Plantae
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Phylum: Magnoliophyta
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Class: Magnoliopsida
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Order: Malpighiales
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Family: Euphorbiaceae
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Genus: Plukenetia
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