Castanospermum australe
Fabaceae FAMILY

Castanospermum australe

Castanospermum australe

Edibility
4/5
Medicinal
2/5

Safety & Hazards

The immature seed is poisonous, though mature seeds are harmless[ 167 Title A Field Guide to Australian Trees. Publication Author Holliday. I. and Hill. R. Publisher Frederick Muller Ltd. Year 1974 ISBN 0-85179-627-3 Description A well illustrated and very readable book, but it does not contain much information for the plant project. , 240 Title Glossary of Indian Medicinal Plants (Including the Supplement). Publication Author Chopra. R. N., Nayar. S. L. and Chopra. I. C. Publisher Council of Scientific and Industrial Research, New Delhi. Year 1986 ISBN - Description Very terse details of medicinal uses of plants with a wide range of references and details of research into the plants chemistry. Not for the casual reader. ]. Another report says that the raw seed is poisonous and needs treatment to render it edible[ 193 Title Wild Food Plants of Australia. Publication Author Low. T. Publisher Angus and Robertson. Year 1989 ISBN 0-207-14383-8 Description Well presented, clear information and good photographs. An interesting read for the casual reader as well as the enthusiast ]. The seed needs to be cut in slices and washed for several days prior to consumption, otherwise it can cause severe gastrointestinal disturbance[ 303 Title World Agroforesty Centre Publication Author Website http://www.worldagroforestry.org/ Publisher Year 0 ISBN Description An excellent online database of a huge range of trees giving very good information on each plant - its uses, ecology, identity, propagation, pests etc. ].

Botanical Description

Castanospermum australe is a tall, evergreen tree with a very dense crown of abundant, dark-green, glossy foliage[ 303 Title World Agroforesty Centre Publication Author Website http://www.worldagroforestry.org/ Publisher Year 0 ISBN Description An excellent online database of a huge range of trees giving very good information on each plant - its uses, ecology, identity, propagation, pests etc. ]. It grows up to 40 metres tall with a bole up to 120cm in diameter[ 303 Title World Agroforesty Centre Publication Author Website http://www.worldagroforestry.org/ Publisher Year 0 ISBN Description An excellent online database of a huge range of trees giving very good information on each plant - its uses, ecology, identity, propagation, pests etc. ]. The seeds are a traditional staple food of the Australian Aborigines, and are also harvested from the wild by other people. The tree is most attractive at flowering time with sprays of orange-red flowers and also when bearing its large pendant, cylindrical, bean-like fruits[ 303 Title World Agroforesty Centre Publication Author Website http://www.worldagroforestry.org/ Publisher Year 0 ISBN Description An excellent online database of a huge range of trees giving very good information on each plant - its uses, ecology, identity, propagation, pests etc. ]. It is therefore often planted as an ornamental in warm temperate to tropical areas[ 303 Title World Agroforesty Centre Publication Author Website http://www.worldagroforestry.org/ Publisher Year 0 ISBN Description An excellent online database of a huge range of trees giving very good information on each plant - its uses, ecology, identity, propagation, pests etc. ].

Habitat & Origin

Origintemperate; tropical
Native RangeAustralia - northern New South Wales, Queensland; southwestern Pacific - New Caledonia, Vanuatu
HabitatSubtropical and tropical gallery-type rainforests and on the banks of creeks[ 144 Title Wild Food in Australia. Publication Author Cribb. A. B. and J. W. Publisher Fontana Year 1976 ISBN 0-00-634436-4 Description A very good pocket guide. , 303 Title World Agroforesty Centre Publication Author Website http://www.worldagroforestry.org/ Publisher Year 0 ISBN Description An excellent online database of a huge range of trees giving very good information on each plant - its uses, ecology, identity, propagation, pests etc. ], usually in good rich moist soils[ 167 Title A Field Guide to Australian Trees. Publication Author Holliday. I. and Hill. R. Publisher Frederick Muller Ltd. Year 1974 ISBN 0-85179-627-3 Description A well illustrated and very readable book, but it does not contain much information for the plant project. ].