Alligator pepper (also known as mbongo spice or hepper pepper) is a West African spice made from the seeds and seed pods of Aframomum danielli, A. citratum or A. exscapum. It is a close relative of grains of paradise, obtained from the closely related species, Aframomum melegueta or “grains of paradise”. The fruit contains many small brownish seed with a sharp peppery, bitter, pungent and aromatic flavour.