Malvaceae FAMILY

Pachira aquatica

Edibility

3/5

Medicinal

2/5

Safety & Hazards

None known

Botanical Description

Malabar chestnut is an evergreen tree with a dense, roundish crown. It usually grows 6 - 14 metres tall, but exceptionally to 23 metres. The straight, cylindrical bole can be 30 - 40cm in diameter, usually branching from fairly low down[ 419 Title Brazilian Trees. Volume 1. 4th Edition. Publication Author Lorenzi. H. Publisher Instituto Plantarum De Estudos Da Flora; Brazil. Year 2002 ISBN 85-86714-17-8 Description Information on 350 species of Brazilian trees. Stunning photographs of each species, brief details on the plant, its uses and how to grow it from seed. A superb work, with the minor irritation that the translation from Portuguese is not of the best. ]. The plant has a wide range of uses, being valued especially for its edible seeds but also providing other foods, medicines, fibre, dyestuff, wood etc. It is often cultivated, and has become naturalized, in many areas of the tropics for its edible seed[ 266 Title Flora of China Publication Author Website http://flora.huh.harvard.edu/china/ Publisher Missouri Botanical Garden Press; St. Louis. Year 1994 ISBN Description An excellent, comprehensive resource in 25 volumes. In addition to the botanical information the flora also gives basic information on habitat and some uses. An on-line version is also available. , 301 Title Cornucopia II Publication Author Facciola. S. Publisher Kampong Publications, California. Year 1998 ISBN 0-9628087-2-5 Description The second edition of an excellent guide to the edible uses of plants, though it does not give any details of cultivation etc. ]. The tree is also planted as a street tree, to provide shade and as an ornamental in gardens[ 324 Title Edible Nuts. Publication Non-Wood Forest Products, Handbook 5 Author Wickens G.E. Website http://www.fao.org/docrep/ Publisher FAO, Rome. Year 1995 ISBN 92-5-103748-5 Description Detailed information on 20 of the most valuable nut crops, plus more basic information on a wide range of other nut-producing plants. It can be downloaded from the Internet. ].

Habitat & Origin

Origintropical

Native RangeS. America - Brazil, Bolivia, Peru, Ecuador, Colombia, Venezuela, the Guyanas; C. America - Panama to Mexico.

HabitatRiver estuaries and lowland rainforests[ 307 Title Tropical and Subtropical Trees - A Worldwide Encyclopaedic Guide. Publication Author Barwick. M. Publisher Thames & Hudson, London Year 2004 ISBN 0-500-51181-0 Description A superb book, very concise and well written, giving a wealth of information on 400 or more species including descriptions, habitat, cultivation details and plant uses. A wealth of colour photographs bring each plant vividly to life. ]. Sparsely vegetated, marshy riverine, clay soils; also grows well on sandy or sandy-clay soils of terra firma[ 324 Title Edible Nuts. Publication Non-Wood Forest Products, Handbook 5 Author Wickens G.E. Website http://www.fao.org/docrep/ Publisher FAO, Rome. Year 1995 ISBN 92-5-103748-5 Description Detailed information on 20 of the most valuable nut crops, plus more basic information on a wide range of other nut-producing plants. It can be downloaded from the Internet. ].