African Oil Palm, Oil Palm, Macaw Fat, Palm Oil

Last updated: February 8, 2026Reviewed date: February 8, 2026Reading time: 8 min read

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For severe symptoms, danger signs, pregnancy, child illness, or sudden worsening, seek urgent medical care.

বাংলা রোগী নোট এখনো যোগ করা হয়নি। পোস্ট এডিটরে “RX Bangla Patient Mode” বক্স থেকে সহজ বাংলা সারাংশ যোগ করুন।

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Article Summary

Key Takeaways

This article explains African Oil Palm Scientific Classification in simple medical language.

Educational health guideWritten for patient understanding and clinical awareness.

Reviewed content workflowUse writer and reviewer profiles for stronger trust.

Emergency safety firstUrgent warning signs are highlighted below.

Seek urgent medical care if you notice

These warning signs are general safety guidance. Local emergency numbers and clinical judgment should always come first.

Severe symptoms, breathing difficulty, fainting, confusion, or rapidly worsening illness.
New weakness, severe pain, high fever, or symptoms after a serious injury.
Any symptom that feels urgent, unusual, or unsafe for the patient.

Emergency now

Use emergency care for severe, sudden, rapidly worsening, or life-threatening symptoms.

See a doctor

Book a professional medical evaluation if symptoms persist, worsen, recur often, affect daily activities, or occur in a high-risk patient.

Learn safely

Use this article to understand possible causes, tests, treatment options, prevention, and questions to ask your clinician.

African oil palm is a tree that reaches to the height of 20 meters or more at maturity. The trunk is distinguished by persistent and spirally arranged leaf bases and has a crown of 20 to 40 massive leaves. The root system has primaries and secondaries in the top 140 cm of soil. Leaves are erect, numerous, and reach 3 to 5 meters in adult trees. Leaf stalks are short having a broad base. Leaf-blades have 100 to 160 pairs of long leaflets having prominent midribs tapered to a point and form in groups or singly along the midrib. Male or female inflorescences form on one plant. A single inflorescence has both male and female flowers. An inflorescence arises among leaf bases in large and very dense clusters having innumerable small flowers enclosed in bud stage in two large fibrous bracts that become deciduous. Fruits form in bunches and the average weight of each bunch is 23 kg but may also weigh up to 82 kg. A bunch has ovoid drupes about 4 cm long and 2 cm broad having a pointed apex.

Name	African Oil Palm
Scientific Name	Elaeis guineensis
Native	Tropical rain forest region of West and Central Africa
Common/English Name	African Oil Palm, Oil Palm, Macaw Fat, Palm Oil
Name in Other Languages	Arabic: Nakhlet Ez Zayt; Brazil: Caiaué, Dendê; Burmese: So-Htan, Si-Ohn; Chinese: You Zong; Cook Islands: Nū Tāmara (Maori); Czech: Olejnice Guinejská; Danish: Oliepalme; Dutch: Afrikaansche Oliepalm; Eastonian: Aafrika Õlipalm; Finnish: Öljypalmu; French: Palmier À Huile, Palmier À Huile d’Afrique; German: Afrikanische Ölpalme, Ölpalme; Indonesia: Kalapa Ciung, Kelapa Sawit, Lalpa, Omyak; Italian: Palma Da Olio, Palma Avoira, Palma Oleaginosa Africana; Japanese: Abura Yashi; Khmer: Doong Preeng; Malaysia: Kelapa Sawit; Pohnpeian: Apwiraiasi; Portuguese: Dendê, Dihoho, Dendezeiro, Palmera Dendém, Palmeira Do Azeite, Palmeira Andim, Palmeira Do Dendê; Russian: Maslichnaia Pal’ma, Gvineiskaia, Pal’ma Maslichnaia; Slovak: Oljna Palma; Spanish: Corojo De Guinea, Palmera De Aceite, Palma Africana, Palma Oleaginosa Africana; Swahili: Miwesi, Mchikichi, Mjenga; Swedish: Oljepalm; Thai: Maak Man, Ma Phraao Hua Ling, Paam Namman; Vietnamese: Co Dau, Dua Dau
Plant Size	8-20 m tall
Stem	Erect, cylindrical, unbranched, 22–75 cm in diameter
Leaf	Large, compound, pinnate, up to 8 m long
Fruit shape & size	Ovoid-oblong, 3.5 cm long, 2 cm wide
Fruit weight	3-30 g
Fruit color	Green to orange
Seed	Grey-white

African Oil Palm Scientific Classification

Scientific Name: Elaeis guineensis

Rank	Scientific Name & (Common Name)
Kingdom	Plantae (Plants)
Subkingdom	Viridiplantae (Green plants)
Infrakingdom	Streptophyta (Land plants)
Superdivision	Embryophyta
Division	Tracheophyta (Vascular plants, tracheophytes)
Class	Magnoliopsida
Order	Arecales
Family	Arecaceae
Genus	Elaeis Jacq. (Oil palm)
Species	Elaeis guineensis Jacq. (African oil palm)
Synonyms	Elaeis dybowskii Hua Elaeis guineensis f. androgyna A.Chev. Elaeis guineensis f. caryolitica Becc. Elaeis guineensis f. dioica A.Chev. Elaeis guineensis f. dura Becc. Elaeis guineensis f. fatua Becc. Elaeis guineensis f. ramosa A. Chev. Elaeis guineensis f. semidura Becc. Elaeis guineensis f. tenera Becc. Elaeis guineensis subsp. nigrescens A.Chev., nom. inval. Elaeis guineensis subsp. virescens A.Chev. Elaeis guineensis var. albescens Becc. Elaeis guineensis var. angulosa Becc. Elaeis guineensis var. ceredia A.Chev. Elaeis guineensis var. compressa Becc. Elaeis guineensis var. gracilinux A.Chev. Elaeis guineensis var. idolatrica A.Chev. Elaeis guineensis var. intermedia A.Chev. Elaeis guineensis var. leucocarpa Becc. Elaeis guineensis var. macrocarpa A.Chev. Elaeis guineensis var. macrocarya Becc. Elaeis guineensis var. macrophylla A.Chev. Elaeis guineensis var. macrosperma Welw. Elaeis guineensis var. madagascariensis Jum. & H.Perrier Elaeis guineensis var. microsperma Welw. Elaeis guineensis var. pisifera A.Chev. Elaeis guineensis var. repanda A.Chev. Elaeis guineensis var. rostrata Becc. Elaeis guineensis var. sempernigra A.Chev. Elaeis guineensis var. spectabilis A.Chev. Elaeis macrophylla A.Chev., nom. nud. Elaeis madagascariensis (Jum. & H.Perrier) Becc. Elaeis melanococca Gaertn. Elaeis melanococca var. semicircularis Oerst. Elaeis nigrescens (A.Chev.) Prain, nom. inval. Elaeis virescens (A.Chev.) Prain Palma oleosa Mill.

Palm oil is obtained from fruits and used for making soaps, candles, cosmetics, biofuels, and lubricating greases, and in processing tinplate and coating iron plates. It is also used for manufacturing edible products such as ice cream, margarine, cookies, chocolate confections, and pieces of bread as well as pharmaceuticals.

Plant description

African oil palm is a perennial and armed solitary palm about 8.5 to 30 meters tall, stout, erect, and trunks are ringed. Flowers are monoecious; male and female flowers are found in separate clusters. Crown in dark-green having skirt of dead leaves. The trunk is 30 cm in diameter. Petioles are saw-toothed, fibrous, green, broadened at base, 1.3–2.3 m long, and 12.5– 20 cm wide. Leaves have a pinnate blade, 3.3-5 m long having 100 to 150 pairs of leaflets in four ranks. Fruit is ovoid to oblong about 3.5 cm long and 2 cm wide that ripen to orange-red. Fruit weighs 6 to 20 kg and is made up of outer skin.

Medicinal uses

Use the leaf sap for treating skin affections.
Oil extracted from pulp is emollient and used as an excipient for herbal ointments.
Use it for treating suppurations, swellings of legs and whitlows.
Yellow leaves are used for treating fever and anemia.
It can be used to remove thorns and poison from the body.
Roots are used to treat piles.
Take the root decoction or burnt root powder orally for treating epilepsy.
Mix infructescence with burned ginger and apply as an enema to young children to promote walking at early age.
In South Eastern Nigeria, it is used for treating skin infections and various diseases.

Culinary uses

In Africa, palm wine is obtained by tapping sap from unopened male inflorescences.
The palm cabbage consists of soft tissues of undeveloped leaves around apical bud which is consumed as vegetables.
Palm oil is used for making margarine, bakery fats, vegetable ghee, cooking oil and ice cream.
Unrefined red palm oil is added to soups and sauces in West Africa.
Use palm oil as frying oil for preparing snacks such as plantain and bean cakes.

References

Safety note: This is not a prescription or diagnosis. For severe symptoms, pregnancy danger signs, children with serious illness, chest pain, breathing difficulty, stroke-like weakness, or major injury, seek urgent care.

Which doctor may help?

Start with a registered doctor or the nearest qualified health center.

What to tell the doctor

Write when the problem started and how it changed.
Bring old prescriptions, investigation reports, and current medicines.
Write allergies, pregnancy status, diabetes, kidney/liver disease, and major past illnesses.
Bring one family member if the patient is weak, elderly, confused, or a child.

Questions to ask

What is the most likely cause of my symptoms?
Which danger signs mean I should go to hospital quickly?
Which tests are necessary now, and which can wait?
How should I take medicines safely and what side effects should I watch for?
When should I come for follow-up?

Tests to discuss

Vital signs: temperature, pulse, blood pressure, oxygen saturation
Basic physical examination by a clinician
CBC, urine test, blood sugar, or imaging only when clinically needed

Avoid these mistakes

Do not use antibiotics, steroid tablets/injections, or strong painkillers without proper medical advice.
Do not hide pregnancy, kidney disease, ulcer, allergy, or blood thinner use.
Do not delay emergency care when danger signs are present.

Medicine safety and first-aid guide

This section is for patient education only. It does not replace a doctor, pharmacist, or emergency care.

Safe first steps

Drink safe fluids and monitor temperature.
In dengue-prone areas, discuss CBC and platelet count when fever persists or warning signs appear.
Use tepid sponging for high fever discomfort; avoid ice-cold bathing.

OTC medicine safety

For fever, common fever medicine may be discussed with a clinician or pharmacist.
Avoid aspirin/ibuprofen-like medicines in suspected dengue unless a doctor says it is safe.

Avoid these mistakes

Do not start antibiotics without a proper medical decision.
Do not use steroid tablets or injections casually for quick relief.
Do not delay emergency care because of home remedies.

Get urgent help if

Fever with breathing difficulty, confusion, repeated vomiting, bleeding, severe weakness, stiff neck, or dehydration needs urgent care.

Medicine names, dose, and timing must be decided by a qualified clinician or pharmacist after checking age, pregnancy, allergy, other diseases, and current medicines.

For rural patients and family caregivers

Patient health record and symptom diary

Write your symptoms, medicines already taken, test results, and questions before visiting a doctor. This note stays on your device unless you print or copy it.

Doctor to discuss: Medicine doctor / pediatrician for children / qualified clinician

Tests to discuss with doctor

Temperature chart and hydration assessment
CBC with platelet count if fever persists or dengue/other infection is possible
Urine test, malaria/dengue tests, chest evaluation, or blood culture only when clinically indicated

Questions to ask

What is the most likely cause of my symptoms?
Which warning signs mean I should go to emergency care?
Which tests are really needed now?
Which medicines are safe for my age, pregnancy status, allergy, kidney/liver/stomach condition, and current medicines?
Do I need antibiotics, or is this more likely viral?

Emergency warning signs such as chest pain, severe breathing difficulty, sudden weakness, confusion, severe dehydration, major injury, or loss of bladder/bowel control need urgent medical care. Do not wait for online information.

Go to emergency care if you notice:

Severe or rapidly worsening symptoms
Breathing difficulty, chest pain, fainting, confusion, severe weakness, major injury, or severe dehydration

Doctor / service to discuss: Qualified healthcare provider; specialist depends on symptoms and examination.

Step 1
Check danger signs first
If danger signs are present, seek emergency care and do not wait for online information.
Step 2
Record the symptom story
Write when symptoms started, severity, medicines already taken, allergies, pregnancy status, and test results.
Step 3
Visit a qualified clinician
A doctor, nurse, or qualified healthcare provider can examine you and decide which tests or treatment are needed.
Step 4
Do only useful tests
Do tests after clinical assessment. Avoid unnecessary tests, random antibiotics, or repeated medicines without diagnosis.
Step 5
Follow up and return early if worse
If symptoms worsen, new warning signs appear, or treatment is not helping, return for review quickly.

Rural patient practical tips

Take a written symptom diary and all previous prescriptions/test reports.
Do not hide medicines already taken, even herbal or over-the-counter medicines.
Ask which warning signs mean urgent referral to hospital.

This roadmap is for education. A real diagnosis and treatment plan requires history, examination, and clinical judgment.

RX Patient Help

Ask a health question safely

Write your symptom story. A health professional or site editor can review it before any answer is prepared. This box is not for emergency care.

Emergency first: Severe chest pain, breathing trouble, unconsciousness, stroke signs, severe injury, heavy bleeding, or rapidly worsening symptoms need urgent local medical care now.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is this article a replacement for a doctor?

No. It is educational content only. Patients should consult a qualified clinician for diagnosis and treatment.

When should I seek urgent care?

Seek urgent care for severe symptoms, rapidly worsening condition, breathing difficulty, severe pain, neurological changes, or any emergency warning sign.