Liverwurst tree

Seeds: 10  / Botanical name: Kigelia pinnata var. africana

A curiosity of Africa - sausages like in the land of plenty

Even when discovering Victoria Falls, David Livingstone rested in the shade of the spreading crown of a Kigelia tree in the border region of Zimbabwe, Zambia, and present-day Namibia. The tree produces violet to dark red, drooping flowers up to 13 centimeters across, which open at night, producing large quantities of nectar and thus attracting bats as pollinators. The 30- to 50-centimeter-long, sausage-like fruits that later develop at the ends of the long flower stalks make it one of Africa's most curious trees. The fruits are a popular food source for elephants and giraffes. While not very palatable to humans, the active ingredients extracted from the fruits, roots, and bark are widely sold as remedies in African markets. In southern Malawi, the fruits are hung in a corner of huts, believed to offer protection against cyclone damage.

originally from West Africa but has since spread throughout the continent.