Cola acuminata

Last updated

Cola acuminata
Cola acuminata, flower of the Kola Nut tree (9906050364).jpg
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Rosids
Order: Malvales
Family: Malvaceae
Genus: Cola
Species:
C. acuminata
Binomial name
Cola acuminata
Synonyms

Sterculia 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, chewed as a source of caffeine in West Africa and used to impart the cola flavour in manufactured beverages such as Coca-Cola. [1] [2]

Contents

Description

The kola tree mainly inhabits lowlands, and is medium-sized with low branches, grey or dark green bark, dark green leaves, and white flowers pollinated by insects. [1] It usually grows to a height of about 13–20 metres (43–66 ft), is hardy to zones 10-12 (USDA), and is vulnerable to frost. [1] The tree prefers moist, sandy, loam or clay soils that are well-drained with neutral acidity. [1] It requires sun exposure and can tolerate drought. [1]

Fruits

The fruits are rough, mottled and up to 20 cm (8 in) long and contain large, flat and bright red coloured seeds, commonly known as kola nuts. [2] The seed contains 1.25–2.4% caffeine, and can be chewed or ground into a powder added to beverages to increase alertness, diminish fatigue, and increase stamina. [1] These seeds are unusual in having as many as six cotyledons, among the most of any dicot (the vast majority of dicots having two cotyledons). [3]

Uses

Its fruits are harvested from the forests of West Africa. [2] The fruits contain about 2% catechin-caffeine, theobromine and kolatin. They are roasted, pounded or chewed, and can be added to drinks, such as tea or milk, or cereal such as porridge. [2] When the whole nuts are chewed, they have a bitter flavour, but leave a sweet aftertaste that enhances flavour and sweetness of other foods in the meal. [1]

In Africa, kola nuts may be used in traditional medicine or as a food colour, while the wood may be used as fuel, or for making furniture, houses or boats. [1]

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 "Cola acuminata - (P.Beauv.) Schott & Endl". Plants For A Future. 2012. Retrieved 23 December 2019.
  2. 1 2 3 4 Veronique Greenwood (23 September 2016). "The little-known nut that gave Coca-Cola its name". BBC News - Future. Retrieved 23 December 2019. These days, the Coca-Cola recipe is a closely guarded secret. But it's said to no longer contain kola nut extract, relying instead on artificial imitations to achieve the flavour
  3. ↑ Keay and Onochie, Nigerian trees, Lagos: Govt printing .page 229)


Sterculia foetida Blanco1.134-cropped.jpg

This Sterculioideae article is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it.

This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.