There are two varieties of the taxon, based on fruit size, namely the cultivated var. edulis and the wild var. parvicarpa (Okafor 1983). There is wide phenotypic and organoleptic variations among fruits collected in different locations (Atangana et al. 2001, Waruhiu et al. 2004, Anegbeh et al. 2005), including fruit colour which could either be purple or pink. The cultivated variety has many developed cultivars.

Dacryodes edulis is a large tree found in Angola (including Cabinda), Cameroon, Central African Republic, Congo, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Nigeria, Sao Tome and Principe, and Zambia. It has a very large extent of occurrence of at least 3,336,100 km² (based on an incomplete map) and occurs within several protected areas. This species is considered hyperdominant and it is not considered to be significantly threatened. It is assessed as Least Concern.

Its geographical range extends from Angola in the south to Central African Republic in the north, and from Nigeria to eastern Democratic Republic of Congo.

True wild subpopulations are either found in protected areas or spared in farmers’ fields during land use change for local farming purposes. However, commercial plantations exists in Nigeria, Cameroon and Democratic Republic of Congo. Subpopulations are very common and the geographical distance between them is small, such that Makueti et al. (2015) reported a low genetic differentiation from six SSRs primers for subpopulations (provenances) obtained from World Agroforestry Centre, Cameroon. This indicates high rates of gene flow among the subpopulations. This species is considered a hyperdominant species (Cooper et al. 2024).

This taxon grows in shaded humid tropical forest, evergreen primary and secondary forests, forest gallery, riparian forests and swamps; with tolerance to wide range of edaphic and climatic conditions. Wild stands can grow up to 42 m, but commercial varieties used in commercial plantations rarely go beyond 12 m. 

Concerns are raised about genetic erosion of wild subpopulations of var. parvicarpa, which are threatened by habitat loss from commercial forestry. However, loss of stands or subpopulations may be offset by large population size and its wide extent of occurrence (EOO). It is believed that many stands in farmers’ fields are relict wild stocks spared from felling during land use change for farming purposes. A few pests and diseases most of which affect the market value of fruits are noted but pose no serious threat to this species.

The fruit is eaten raw, boiled or roasted, and eaten with maize or cassava (Kengue 1995). The fruit pulp contains up to 48% oil, which can be produced in commercial quantity from its plantations. The fruit is the main economic and local value of this taxon. The fruits are harvested in large quantity and sold locally in markets across the region. It is one of the most important non-timber forest products (NTFPs) in West and Central Africa.

The wood is less used for commercial forestry, but locally used for carpentry (Dalziel 1937).

The tree and its products have wide range of medicinal and spiritual uses across its entire geographical range (Walker and Silans 1961; Bouquet 1969; Burkill 1985; Igoli et al. 2005; Sofowora 2008; Jiofack et al. 2010; Omonhinmin 2012, 2014).

The tree flowers have high potentials for apiculture, which is an emerging local industry in many parts of Africa.

The bark produces a gum resin and the leaf contains a dye, both of which are used locally.

The tree is also exploited for ecological services such as shade, soil stabilization, ornamentals and agroforestry. Consequently, the species has been introduced into commercial plantation in southern Nigeria, Cameroon and Democratic Republic of Congo. Cameroon exports more than 11,000 tonnes of the fruits, worth US$ 7.5 million to Europe in 1997 (Awono et al. 2002). International trade on the fruit from central Africa to Europe is increasing, mainly from Cameroon.

The seeds are recalcitrant, hence the taxon must be conserved in situ or in live ex situ genebanks. It is currently found in home gardens, farmers’ fields, a few established plantations and mostly in secondary forests and primary forest relicts in its geographical range. In parts of southeastern Nigeria, it is protected as a sacred tree. There is a major ex situ collection and domestication work in Cameroon’s Institute of Agricultural Research for Development (IRAD), Centre for International Forestry Research (CIFOR) Cameroon office, and a few provenances preserved at National Centre for Genetic Resources and Biotechnology (NACGRAB), Nigeria. Vegetative propagation was reported to be successful by aerial layering (Kengue 1990). It was also listed on level 2 of priority for research by World Agroforestry Centre (Franzel et al. 1996). Globally this species is known to be kept in at least 15 ex situ collections (BGCI 2023).