Shea is a West African tree from the seed of which is extracted
shea butter, which is used in
cosmetics. The common names are from
shétoulou "tree butter" in a Senegalese language and
ghariti (sp?) in a Malian language. The genus name means "butter seed". The tree is also called
Vitellaria paradoxa and
Butyrospermum parkii; the latter species name is from
Mungo Park, who learned of the tree while exploring Senegal. According to Delta, which lists both genera, the splitting of Sapotaceae into genera is unclear.
