Changes

The stones from the fruits weigh about 9.5 g of which 58–67% is kernel. The kernels contain 40–58% oil. The fatty acid composition of the oil is: saturated fatty acids 13%, mono-unsaturated fatty acids 9%, licanic acid 44% and eleostearic acid 34%. Due to the high content of licanic acid (4-oxo-9,11,13-octadecatrienoic acid) and eleostearic acid, the oil is drying and solidifies rapidly into a varnish-like mass. The main commercial source of licanic acid is oiticica oil from ''Licania rigida'' Benth. from tropical America, which contains up to 80%. The presscake of ''Afrolicania elaeosperma'' remaining after oil extraction is not suitable as cattle feed.

Small tree up to 15 m tall; bole irregular and with long, deep grooves, up to 50(–80) cm in diameter, with buttresses up to 2 m high; outer bark brown with greyish or greenish patches, slightly rough, inner bark dark red to pink-orange, granular; crown hemispherical, dense; branches glabrous when young. Leaves alternate, simple and entire; stipules linear, 3–6 mm long, long persistent, margins minutely toothed; petiole 0.5–1 cm long, grooved above, with 2 glands; blade elliptical, 7–16 cm × 3–8 cm, base cuneate, apex acuminate, leathery, glabrous on both surfaces when mature, pinnately veined with 7–10 pairs of lateral veins. Inflorescence a terminal or axillary panicle up to 25 cm long with flowers in groups of 2–3(–5), sparsely grey pubescent. Flowers bisexual or male, regular, c. 2 mm long; pedicel 1–2 mm long; receptacle flattened, pubescent outside; calyx lobes 5, triangular, grey pubescent; petals absent; stamens c. 20, free, short; ovary superior, c. 1 mm long, 1-celled, style c. 1 mm long. Fruit a dry, ovoid drupe c. 5 cm long, densely warty, golden brown, 1-seeded; endocarp thin, hard but brittle, hairy inside. Seed with thick, fleshy cotyledons. Seedling with hypogeal germination; first leaves alternate.