Family: Irvingiaceae - FIDAfrique

Bush mango<br />

Ando’o - Oba - Meba<br />

<strong>Family</strong>: <strong>Irvingiaceae</strong><br />

West and Central Africa<br />

West and Central Africa

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Information slip<br />

Bush mango<br />

<strong>Family</strong>: <strong>Irvingiaceae</strong><br />

1. Species identity<br />

• Names<br />

Scientific name: Irvingia gabonensis (Aubry Lecomte)<br />

Common names: African mango tree, bush mango, dika nut, wild<br />

mango<br />

Vernacular names: (Cameroon) andok; ando’o; (Nigeria) oro, oba;<br />

(RDC) meba, mueba;<br />

• Botanical description<br />

Irvingia gabonensis grows to a height<br />

of 15-40 m, with bole slightly buttressed.<br />

Leaves range from elliptic to<br />

slightly obovate. Flowers can be yellowish<br />

to greenish-white, with slender<br />

individual flower stalks. Fruits are yellowish<br />

when ripe, broadly ellipsoid and<br />

variable in size, with a yellow, fibrous<br />

pulp surrounding a large seed. Botanical illustration<br />

A: flowering branch, B: Bud, C: flowering, D: stamina, E: pistil,<br />

F: longitudinal section of the flower, G: cross section of ovary,<br />

H: longitudinal section of the fruit<br />

2. Ecology and<br />

distribution<br />

• Natural habitat and<br />

geographical distribution<br />

Native of Angola, Cameroon, Central African<br />

Republic, Congo, Cote d'Ivoire, Democratic<br />

Republic of Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon,<br />

Ghana, Guinea-Bissau, Liberia, Nigeria, Senegal,<br />

Sierra Leone, Sudan, Uganda. I. gabonensis<br />

occurs in the wild, in lowland forest; it is<br />

reported to be gregarious in some areas. The<br />

tree is a species also grows in the dense moist<br />

forest.

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• Biophysical limit<br />

Bush mango can be found at altitude range between 200 - 500 m. Temperature range for<br />

growth is between 25 and 32°C with a minimum annual rainfall range of 1500 – 3000 mm. It<br />

grows well in well-drained, acidic clayey sandy soils (pH

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4.3. Marcotting<br />

• Rooting medium: Topsoil, oil palm inflorescence,<br />

compost or peat and decomposed sawdust<br />

• Type and Diameter of branch: 2-4 cm<br />

• Time before rooting start: 3 months<br />

• Success rate at rooting: about 60% after 6 months<br />

• Survival rate after weaning: about 40%<br />

4.4. Grafting<br />

• Side tongue grafting, top cleft grafting<br />

• Survival rate: about 60%<br />

• Use I. wombolu as rootstock<br />

5. Planting and Management<br />

5.1. Planting<br />

In cultivating the Bush mango tree, only seedlings, rooted cuttings or marcotts that have spent<br />

at least 6 months under shade in the nursery can be transplanted. The recommended spacing<br />

for planting I.gabonensis in orchards is 10 x 10 m. Dig planting holes of 30 x 30 cm for seedlings,<br />

cuttings and grafted plants or 50 x 50 cm for marcotts.<br />

5.2. Management<br />

Weed 1 metre around the trees once every 2 months for the first year after planting. Apply NPK<br />

at a ratio of 20-10-10 and at the rate of 25 g/tree/year when the soil is poor. Do this at the<br />

beginning of the rainy season.<br />

6. Pests<br />

Unripe fruits are attacked by rodents, including squirrels, which gnaw through the mesocarp and<br />

the pyrene to reach the seed. Red forest pigs split the pyrenes open and eat the seeds.<br />

Bibliography and Further Reading<br />

• J. Vivien and J.J. Faure. 1996. Fruitiers Sauvages d’Afrique (Espèces du Cameroun). p 416<br />

• E. Asaah, R.P. Tchientche and Z. Tchoundjeu. Nutrient status and physical properties of soils<br />

in the natural habitat of Irvingia gabonensis (Aubry Lecomte ex O’Rorke) in Cameroon. In<br />

preparation<br />

• http://www.worldagroforestry.org/ SEA/Products/ AFDbases/AF/asp/<br />

SpeciesInfo.asp?SpID=1003<br />

• Illustrations : Bailey Hortorium, World Agroforestry Centre-West and Central Africa Region.<br />

Prepared by<br />

Ebenezer Asaah<br />

Régine Pakeujou Tchientche<br />

Dr. Marie Laure Mpeck<br />

Dr. Zac Tchoundjeu<br />

Catherine Momha<br />

For more information contact :<br />

World Agroforestry Centre-West and Central Africa<br />

Regional Office P.O. Box 16317 Yaounde-Cameroun<br />

Tel: (237) 22.21.50.84 / 22.23.75.60<br />

Fax: (237) 22.21.50.89 / 22.23.74.40<br />

E-mail: icraf-aht@cgiar.org<br />

Web site : worldagroforestrycentre.org/aht