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5 plants worth knowing

Gabon

Gabon is one of the most heavily forested countries in the world – humid equatorial forests cover nearly 90% of its land, and 13 national parks protect places such as the forest–savanna mosaic of Lopé and the wild coast of Loango. The climate is equatorial, hot and humid, with two rainy seasons, and the dense network of rivers belongs almost entirely to the Ogooué basin.

Hover over a plant to see on the map where it grows.

where it grows

  1. Okoumé 1

    tree · Tree on the coat of arms of Gabon

    Okoumé

    Aucoumea klaineana

    The tree on Gabon’s coat of arms and the mainstay of its forestry – okoumé yields plywood known all over the world.
  2. Iboga 2

    shrub · Recognised as part of Gabon’s national heritage

    Iboga

    Tabernanthe iboga

    The sacred shrub of the Bwiti religion – its bark opens the way to the world of the ancestors for initiates.
  3. African mango 3

    tree

    African mango

    Irvingia gabonensis

    “Gabonese chocolate” – the roasted seeds of this tree make odika, a dark paste used to thicken sauces.
  4. Moabi 4

    tree

    Moabi

    Baillonella toxisperma

    One of Gabon’s largest trees – its fruit feeds elephants and its seeds yield a prized oil for cooking and cosmetics.
  5. Bubinga 5

    tree

    Bubinga

    Guibourtia tessmannii

    A tree whose wood is worth a fortune – the illegal kevazingo trade sparked a high-profile political scandal in 2019.