Fruits of Oha - Specimen details

Fruits of Oha - Specimen details

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Catalogue Number: 36235

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Plant Name 187.00 PALMAE Raphia vinifera Entry Book Number
Artefact Name Fruits of Oha Vernacular Name
Iso Country Benin TDWG Region Benin
Parts Held Fruits of Oha Geography Description Benin, Okogbo, Ossiomo River
Uses Fruits of OhaUse: MATERIALS User: Man TDWG use MATERIALS
Storage Bottles, boxes etc Related Items
Donor FHI Donor No 48387
Donor Date 00/04/1959 Donor Notes Redhead JFx0Dx0A
Collector Collector No
Collection Notes Collection Date
Exhibition Expedition
Number Components Publication
Notes: Opuscular source: Locality: banks of the Ossiomo River south of the Ebue Forest Reserve near Okogbo. Fresh water swamp. Gregarious and in mixture with Raphia hookeri, Mitragyna spp. etc. Grows where there is permanent free water either in pools or as afl, owing stream. Habit: erect stem. Leaf bases persistent and sheathing the stem until the latter is at least 20 feet high, then falling to leave untidy scars and tattered fibres. New leaves erect and bending over to form a complete semi-circle when old. Sp, adix large and pendulous from apex of stem. Dimensions: largest stems reach a height of 30 to 40 feet long with leaflets up to 5 feet in length. Spadix much branched and pendulous to 10 feet in length. Total height of tree up to 40 to 50 feet. Presence, of curled fibres I have not observed any curled fibre but base of leaf rachis obscured by persistent bases of old leaves. Leaf colour: bright green above, glaucous below. Uses: leaflet used as a roofing material and used in making the best quality 'Bambo, o' roofing mats. Midrib used as a house pole, or in making small stools and benches. When split it provides material for weaving floor mats. The fruit is boiled and eaten by the Itsekiri people when preparing cassava. If the fruit is not boiled but beate, n with sticks it can be used as a fish poison, any fish entering water containing substance become unconscious and easily caught. Agricultural certificate enclosed stating that specimen was thoroughly examined on 7th April 1959 by JA Marden and to have b, een sprayed with DDT.

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