Terminalia arostrata

Ewart et Davies

Nutwood, Crocodile tree

Combretaceae Edible: Fruit, Kernel, Nuts 6 iNaturalist observations

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Summary

Source: Wikipedia

Terminalia arostrata, commonly known as crocodile tree or nutwood, is a tree of the family Combretaceae native to northern parts of Australia. The tree typically grows to a height of 4.5 to 12 metres (15 to 39 ft) in height and deciduous to semi-deciduous. It blooms between July and November producing white, orange and red flowers. The tree has a rounded crown and pendulous branches and produces edible seeds. The leaves are 3 to 13 centimetres (1.2 to 5.1 in) long and 10 to 45 centimetres (3.94 to 17.72 in) wide and has beaked fruit that persists year round. The species was first described by botanists Alfred James Ewart and O.B.Davies in 1917 in The Flora of the Northern Territory. It is found on flat to slightly undulating places in swampy areas and on basaltic plains in the Kimberley region of Western Australia, the Northern Territory and Queensland growing in alluvium and heavy soils.

Description

A medium sized tree which loses many of its leaves during the year. It grows to 7-12 m tall and spreads to 3 m across. The stem is erect and the branches hang downwards. The bark is dark grey or black, corky and deeply cracked. The tree has a rounded crown. The leaves are arranged in spirals. The leaves are oval and broad. They are leathery with a blunt tip. They narrow towards the base. They are 3-8 cm long and 1.5-3 cm across. They are slightly shiny and light to dark green. The leaf stalk is 1-3 cm long. The flowers are cream coloured but not easily seen. They occur on spikes 5-10 cm long in the axils of leaves towards the ends of small branches. The fruit are dark purple of black and round. They are 2.5 cm across. They have thin flesh and a smooth, hard woody shell around the one seed. The flesh of the fruit is edible but sour. The kernel is edible.

Edible Uses

The sour fruit flesh is edible, and the kernel tastes similar to a peanut and can be eaten raw.

Traditional Uses

The seeds are eaten raw. They are similar in size and taste to a peanut.

This uses section is brief — help expand it

Distribution

It is a tropical and subtropical plant. It occurs naturally in the Northern Territory and in Western Australia in Australia. It occurs in woodland in dry regions often in sandy soils. It prefers light to medium soils. It needs well drained soils. It suits an open sunny position. It is drought resistant. It is damaged by frost. It grows in areas with a temperature between 22°-38° C and a rainfall of 400-650 mm. It grows in acid soils with a pH between 5-6. It suits hardiness zones 9-11.

Where It Grows

Australia*,

Cultivation

Plants are grown from fresh seed. Seed is slow to start to grow.

Other Uses

The wood can be used as a fuel.

Production

Flowers occur in summer - October to January in Australia. Fruiting in Australia is January to May. The fruit may stay on the tree for several months.

Notes

There are about 200-250 Terminalia species. They are tropical.

Also Known As

Badijiy, Partiki

References (19)

ABC Gardening Australia Flora CD Rom
Bodkin, F., 1991, Encyclopedia Botanica. Cornstalk publishing, p 971
Brock, J., 1993, Native Plants of Northern Australia, Reed. p 312
Cherikoff V. & Isaacs, J., The Bush Food Handbook. How to gather, grow, process and cook Australian Wild Foods. Ti Tree Press, Australia p 201
Cundall, P., (ed.), 2004, Gardening Australia: flora: the gardener's bible. ABC Books. p 1405

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Hearne, D.A., & Rance, S.J., 1975, Trees for Darwin and Northern Australia. AGPS, Canberra p 111
Lazarides, M. & Hince, B., 1993, Handbook of Economic Plants of Australia, CSIRO. p 234
Low, T., 1991, Wild Food Plants of Australia. Australian Nature FieldGuide, Angus & Robertson. p 44
Paczkowska, G. & Chapman, A.R., 2000, The Western Australian Flora. A Descriptive Catalogue. Western Australian Herbarium. p 215
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