Sausage Tree or Kigelia

The sausage is originated from Africa, and it has been introduced to Taiwan in 1922. The fruit is solid and poisonous while the seeds is edible after drying or roasting. The flowers are purple-red, hanging down from branch of long flexible stems. Usually they are pollinated by bats.

原產熱帶非洲，因外型酷似洋香腸，乃有臘腸樹之稱，臺灣於 1922 年引進栽植。目前全省各地培零星栽培供觀賞用；多種植在庭園，公園內供庭園觀賞用；有時亦種植為行道樹或庭園觀賞：臘腸樹果肉質硬，不能吃。但其種子在食物短缺時，可烤食之。臘腸樹的花序長而下垂，花大而紫紅色，是藉蝙蝠達到授粉作用。