ABSTRACT
Kola, of which the embryos form the “kola nuts” of the trade, may belong to several species of evergreen and sizeable trees, growing up to 25 m in height. These species belong to the genus Cola (Schott and Endlicher) within the family Sterculeaceae. The most important species is Cola nitida (Ventenat) Schott and Endlicher, the major contributor to the trade in kola nuts and originating from the west African forest zone west of the coastal savanna in Benin, Ghana, and Togo. Second in importance is Cola acuminata (Beauvoir) Schott and Endlicher, originating from the rain forest areas east of the coastal savanna in west Africa, mainly beyond the river Niger, including coastal areas of Cameroon, Gabon, and Zaire. The kola tree has been cultivated for its seeds, of which the fleshy cotyledons contain some alkaloids (caffein, kolanin, theobromin) which dispel sleep, thirst, and hunger. In west Africa the kola nuts still play an important role and they are interwoven with many traditional, social customs. The embryos of the seed, i.e., the kola nuts, are chewed fresh in west Africa. In Central and South America they may be dried and utilized in the preparation of an infusion.
