Treculia | |
---|---|
Treculia africana | |
Scientific classification | |
Kingdom: | Plantae |
Clade: | Tracheophytes |
Clade: | Angiosperms |
Clade: | Eudicots |
Clade: | Rosids |
Order: | Rosales |
Family: | Moraceae |
Tribe: | Artocarpeae |
Genus: | Treculia Decne. ex Trécul (1847) |
Species[1] | |
5; see text | |
Synonyms[1] | |
Acanthotreculia Engl. (1908) |
Treculia is a genus of trees in the plant family Moraceae that is native to west and central Africa and Madagascar. The best-known member of the genus, Treculia africana, commonly known as the African breadfruit, is used as a food plant.
The fruits are hard and fibrous, can be the size of a volleyball and weight up to 8.5 kg. Chimpanzees have been observed to use tools to break the fruits into small pieces that they can eat.[2]