Vitellaria

Vitellaria is a genus of flowering plants in the sapodilla family, Sapotaceae. Its sole widely recognized species, Vitellaria paradoxa, is the shea tree, valued for its edible nuts and fat-rich kernels.

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Vitellaria paradoxa: Vitellaria paradoxa is a West African tree whose seeds yield shea butter. It is the shea tree and the best-known, widely recognized member of Vitellaria.
Shea butter: Shea butter is a fat extracted from the kernels of the shea tree's fruit. It is the best-known product derived from Vitellaria paradoxa kernels.
African savanna: African savannas are tropical grasslands with scattered trees, shaped by seasonal rainfall and disturbance. Vitellaria paradoxa grows across savanna and woodland landscapes in West and Central Africa.
Shea Belt: The Shea Belt is a broad zone of African savannas where shea trees occur and shea nuts are harvested. It is the principal geographic region associated with Vitellaria paradoxa and its products.
Sapotaceae: Sapotaceae is a family of mostly tropical trees and shrubs that produce latex-bearing tissues. Vitellaria belongs to this family, which includes many other fruit- and latex-producing trees.
Shea nut: A shea nut is the seed of the shea tree, containing a kernel rich in fats. The nut is the harvested plant part from which shea butter is produced.
Parkland agroforestry: Parkland agroforestry is a farming system in which useful trees are retained among crops. Shea trees are characteristic retained trees in many West African parklands.
Ghana: Ghana is a country in West Africa with northern savanna regions and a substantial shea sector. Northern Ghana is part of the Shea Belt and a major source of shea nuts.
Sapotales: Sapotales is an order of flowering plants that includes Sapotaceae and several related families. This order places Vitellaria within the broader flowering-plant classification.
Shea industry: The shea industry encompasses the harvesting, processing, trade, and sale of shea products. Commercial uses of Vitellaria paradoxa support regional and international shea markets.