Tetrapleura tetraptera

Life-forms

Classification System: APG IV

Superregnum: Eukaryota
Regnum: Plantae
Cladus: Angiosperms
Cladus: Eudicots
Cladus: Core eudicots
Cladus: Rosids
Cladus: Eurosids I
Ordo: Fabales

Familia: Fabaceae
Subfamilia: Caesalpinioideae
Tribus: Mimoseae
Genus: Tetrapleura
Species: Tetrapleura tetraptera
Name

Tetrapleura tetraptera (Schumach.) Taub.
References

Botanisches Centralblatt. Kassel 47:395. 1891
USDA, ARS, Germplasm Resources Information Network. Tetrapleura tetraptera in the Germplasm Resources Information Network (GRIN), U.S. Department of Agriculture Agricultural Research Service. Accessed: 07-Oct-06.

Vernacular names
Akan: Prɛkɛsɛ

Tetrapleura tetraptera is a species of flowering plant in the family Fabaceae native to Western Africa.[1] The plant is called Prekese (or, more correctly, Prɛkɛsɛ aka Soup Perfume) in the Twi language of Ghana.[2] It is also called Uhio (Uhiokrihio) in the Igbo Language of Nigeria.

The tree has many uses. Its sweet fragrance is valued, its fruit is used to spice dishes, such as Banga soup, and its bark is used for supposed medicinal purposes.[medical citation needed] The major constituents are tannins, flavonoids and starch. [3][4] It is mostly used to prepare palm nut soup and other types of soups called light soup because of its aroma.
References

Margaret Steentoft, Flowering plants in West Africa, Cambridge University Press, 1988, ISBN 978-0-521-26192-0, "... aidan tree (Tetrapleura tetraptera) fruits are similarly useful, the seeds being rich in oil ..."
Paul Osei-Tutu; Kwabena Nketiah; Boateng Kyereh; Mercy Owusu-Ansah; Joseph Faniyan, Hidden forestry revealed: Characteristics, constraints and opportunities for small and medium forest enterprises in Ghana, IIED, ISBN 978-1-84369-454-0, "... Prekese (Tetrapluera tetraptera) – prekese tea bags, syrup as medicine and spices ..."
Thomas E. Kyei; Jean Marie Allman, Our days dwindle: memories of my childhood days in Asante, Heinemann, 2001, ISBN 978-0-325-07042-1, "... Prekese The tree bore large fruits, bits of which were used as spice in soups. The pungent scent of its fruit earned for it the ... ("Prekese, the insuppressible, whose presence permeates houses as he touches at its outskirts ..."
Herbert M. Cole; Doran H. Ross, The arts of Ghana, Museum of Cultural History, University of California, 1977, "... A plant with a strong, sweet scent (Soup Perfume) is the fourth umbrella subject. It signifies that the chief's presence ... The Asantes call it "prekese(Soup Perfume) the sweet scenter, whose fodor is felt in all houses when it starts from the end of town" ..."