Garcinia kola

and "nuts" derived from Garcinia kola Garcinia kola is traditionally used by African folk healers who believe that it has purgative, antiparasitic, and antimicrobial properties. The seeds are used for liver disorders, bronchitis, throat infections, colic, head or chest colds, and cough. It is also used as a chewing stick. The nuts contain a biflavonoid called kolaflavanone. == Barriers to cultivation ==

Despite the socio-economic importance of Garcinia kola, cultivation of the species is limited. Factors that have discouraged farmers from growing Garcinia kola include difficulties in germination that reduces seedling availability. Most productive trees were left in the wild when farmers cut plots out of the forest. Researchers have studied the germination problems of G. kola seeds and suggested various means of breaking its dormancy. However, there is still a need to investigate simple and practicable methods that farmers could easily adopt with low technological input. G. kola seeds have both seed coat dormancy and physiological dormancy probably imposed by the chemicals in the seed. Seed coat dormancy of Garcinia kola can be reduced by removing the seed coat before sowing, while physiological dormancy can be reduced by soaking in water for 72 hours. Removal of the seed coat, soaking in water for 72 hours, placing inside air-tight transparent polythene bags and sprinkling water on the seeds when needed for constant moisture gives an early germination period of two weeks, ==Gallery==

File:Garcinia kola - Plant.jpg|"Bitter kola" tree (Garcinia kola) growing in Limbe Botanical Gardens, Cameroon File:Garcinia Kola Feuilles.jpg|Garcinia kola leaves, Limbe Botanical Gardens File:Garcinia Kola Germination.jpg|Flowers of Garcinia kola (a.k.a. "bitter kola") File:Garcinia Kola Fruits mûrs.jpg|Ripe fruits of Garcinia kola (a.k.a. "bitter kola") File:Garcinia kola MHNT.BOT.2009.13.6.jpg|Two "bitter kola" seeds, one with brown rind removed File:Cola-Acuminata-Heckel.jpg|Seeds of true / "female" kola (= Cola acuminata) compared and contrasted with those of bitter / "male" kola (= Garcinia kola) ==References==