{"url":"https://treescape.app/api/genera/vitellaria/?format=json","slug":"vitellaria","latin_name":"Vitellaria","description":"Vitellaria paradoxa (formerly Butyrospermum parkii), commonly known as shea tree, shi tree (), or vitellaria, is a tree of the family Sapotaceae. It is the only species in the genus Vitellaria, and is indigenous to Africa.\nThe shea fruit consists of a thin, tart, nutritious pulp that surrounds a relatively large, oil-rich seed from which shea butter is extracted. It is a deciduous tree usually 7–15 m (23–49 ft) tall, but has reached 25 m (82 ft) and a trunk diameter of 2 m (6.6 ft).\nThe shea tree is a traditional African food plant. It has been claimed to have potential to improve nutrition, boost food supply in the \"annual hungry season\", foster rural development, and support sustainable land care.","gbif_id":2886749,"image_thumbnail":null,"image_large":null}