Vernac. names.—Oburo (Lagos, Millen); Oburo (Yoruba, Millson); Grains of Paradise, Alligator Pepper (Punch, No. 80, 1900, Herb. Kew).
Lagos, Yoruba, Nupe, Aboh, Nun (Niger) river and Onitsha in Nigeria and widely distributed in West Africa.
Fruit edible, Lagos (Millen, Herb. Kew).
The seeds together with those of A. Melegueta (q.v.) at one time came into commerce largely as a spice, although latterly of less importance than when the “Grain Coast” in West Africa, during the middle ages—14th to 15th cent. (see Johnston, Liberia i. pp. 56, 57)—took its name from them as the most important source. At the present time they are chiefly used in veterinary medicine (Greenish, Mat. Med. (1909) p. 215). “Oburo” is said to be a medicine for throat in Yoruba (Kew Bull. 1891, p. 209).
A sample of the whole pods from S. Nigeria and a sample of “guinea grains” from the Gold Coast, examined at the Imperial Institute, were found to be in good condition, but it was stated that the demand at the time (1912) for seeds was limited (Col. Rep. Ann. No. 778, 1913, p. 38).
The seeds of this species and of A. Melegueta are indistinguishable, both being aromatic, brown and about ⅙ or ⅒ in. diameter; but the fruit in this species is sulcate, in the other not sulcate.
Plant 4–5 ft. high; may be propagated from seeds or division of the roots; but rarely cultivated.
The list of illustrations (p. 661) is not transcribed.