Death Tree

The okoubaka tree is considered a trophophyte, meaning it is adapted to an environment that alternates between periods of heavy rainfall and droughts. It is deciduous meaning it sheds its leaves seasonally, and monoecious, meaning it contains both male and female reproductive flower parts. It is a tree that can reach 40 meters in height with a trunk that can reach 3 meters in width. The tree forms a large bushy crown and has a straight and cylindrical bole (trunk). Its bark is coarse and usually reddish-brown. The tree development fits the Mangenot architectural model.

The okoubaka tree is a hemiparasite meaning it is parasitic under natural conditions but is photosynthetic to some degree. It is known to parasitize tiama (Entandrophragma angolense from the mahogany family), African teak (Pericopsis elata from the legume family), Pterygota macrocarpa (from the mallow family), and baku (Tieghemella heckelii from Sapotaceae) with P. macrocarpa and African teak being reported as most affected. Seed mass is large and so seed dispersal has been hypothesized to depend on large forest animals such as elephants.

The tree is thought to be useful for various folk medicinal purposes in all of its native ranges (mostly the seeds and bark). In Nigeria, the stem bark is used for the production of Maloff-HB, an anti-malarial drug. There is no scientific evidence that it has any medicinal properties.