Sweet dattock

Detarium microcarpum, known as sweet dattock or tallow tree, is a small tree or shrub in the family Fabaceae that typically reaches about 15 m tall, with some specimens attaining 25 m in moister habitats. Shoots grow 1.5–2 m annually, far outpacing seedlings. Flowering occurs during the rainy season from July to November, with bloom periods lasting about eight days; fruits develop from September to May. Leaves are shed in November and new growth flushes in March. The species is native to the drier zones of West and Central Africa, occurring in Mali, Senegal, Niger, Nigeria, Ghana and across the Sahel and Sudanian savanna belt. The round indehiscent fruit contains a sweet edible mesocarp and a single hard seed, and is widely gathered for food, while the dense hardwood is used for construction and fuel.