Pau Carvão Mesquite Iron tree

Pau Carvão Mesquite Iron tree, Prosopis africana, is a member of the legume family, Fabaceae, and grows as a deciduous shrub or small tree. It is a slow-growing species that typically reaches about 10 meters tall and occupies the tree layer of the vegetation where it occurs. Its native range is extensive, covering much of West and Central Africa, including Benin, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, the Central African Republic, Chad, Congo, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Ivory Coast, Mali, Mauritania, Niger, Nigeria, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Sudan, Togo, Uganda, and Zaïre. It also occurs in Saudi Arabia. Across this broad distribution the tree is a full-sun plant that favours moist conditions rather than drought, and it tolerates light sandy, medium, and heavy clay soils alike. The species is perhaps best known for its seeds, which are edible and can be eaten raw or cooked; they are commonly boiled to prepare a meal. The plant also has utility as animal feed, giving it value in farming and livestock contexts alongside its food use. It is hardy in zones 10 to 12. The seeds are the principal edible part documented for the tree and serve as the main practical cue for those who gather it. Although the tree belongs to a family known for diverse uses, the available data records no medicinal application for Prosopis africana, so no health claims are made here. Anyone handling the seeds should confirm the identity of the plant with care before using them.