- Botanical Name
- Elaeis guineensis
Oil Palm
Details
Elaeis guineensis is a species of palm commonly called oil palm, and sometimes African oil palm or macaw-fat. It is native to west and southwest Africa, between Angola and The Gambia, and is the principal source of palm oil. Mature palms are single-stemmed and grow to 20 metres tall, with pinnate leaves 3 to 5 metres long. The fruit is reddish, about the size of a large plum, and grows in large bunches; its oily, fleshy outer layer surrounds a single seed, the palm kernel, which is also rich in oil. In traditional African medicine, Wikipedia says, different parts of the plant are used as a laxative and diuretic, as a poison antidote, and to treat headaches, rheumatism and skin infections. In Yoruba religion it is associated with the creation myth as the first tree Ọbatala finds descending to earth, and as Ọrunmila's axis mundi. Its fronds mark sacred areas, and its kernels are prepared as a tool for receiving Ọrunmila's words to the babalawo.
Correspondences
- Elements
- No elements recorded.
- Celestial Bodies
- No celestial bodies recorded.
- Zodiac Signs
- No zodiac signs recorded.
- Colours
- No colours recorded.
- Deities
- No deities recorded.
Folk Names
- African Oil Palm
- Macaw-Fat
Categories
- Banishing
- Divination
- Protection
- Warding
Substitutes
No substitutes recorded.
Forms
Whole
References
References
Notes
- Ajao, Sabiu, and Saheed, "Wandering through southwestern Nigeria," Table 2, Elaeis guineensis row.
- de Azevedo, da Silva, and Barboza, "Return to Nature," section on the oil palm (Mariwo) and Table 1, Elaeis guineensis row.
- Gruca, Balslev, and Henrik, "Ritual uses of palms," Table 1, Elaeis guineensis inflorescence row (drive away bad spirits).
- Quiroz and Tinde, "Evidence of a link," Additional file 1 (species table), Elaeis guineensis, Benin row.
- Wikipedia, under "Elaeis guineensis."
- Wikipedia, under "Elaeis guineensis."
Bibliography
- Ajao, Abdulwakeel Ayokun-nun; Mukaila, Yusuf Ola; Sabiu, Saheed. "Wandering through southwestern Nigeria: An inventory of Yoruba useful angiosperm plants." Heliyon 8(1), e08668, 2021. Accessed October 29, 2026. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8733184/. Open the Source (opens in a new tab)
1 - de Azevedo, Thaís Salatiel; Ramos, Ygor Jessé; da Silva, Nina Claudia Barboza. "Return to Nature: Sacred Plants in the Azerin Funerary Rite of Candomblé Nação Angola." Plants 15(2), 260, 2026. Accessed October 29, 2026. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC12844919/. Open the Source (opens in a new tab)
2 - Gruca, Marta; van Andel, Tinde R.; Balslev, Henrik. "Ritual uses of palms in traditional medicine in sub-Saharan Africa: a review." Journal of Ethnobiology and Ethnomedicine 10, 60, 2014. Accessed October 29, 2026. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC4222890/. Open the Source (opens in a new tab)
3 - Quiroz, Diana; van Andel, Tinde. "Evidence of a link between taboos and sacrifices and resource scarcity of ritual plants." Journal of Ethnobiology and Ethnomedicine 11:5, 2015. Accessed October 29, 2026. https://ethnobiomed.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/1746-4269-11-5. Open the Source (opens in a new tab)
4 - Wikipedia, under "Elaeis guineensis." Accessed October 29, 2026. https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Elaeis_guineensis&oldid=1366714968. Open the Source (opens in a new tab)
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