Lecythis ollaria

Loefl.

Monkey Pot. Sapucaia nut, Pot nut

Lecythidaceae Edible: Oil, Seed Potential hazards — see below

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Description

Lecythis ollaria is an evergreen Tree growing to 35 m (114ft) by 35 m (114ft) at a slow rate. See above for USDA hardiness. It is hardy to UK zone 10. The flowers are pollinated by Bees, insects. Suitable for: light (sandy), medium (loamy) and heavy (clay) soils and prefers well-drained soil. Suitable pH: mildly acid, neutral and basic (mildly alkaline) soils. It cannot grow in the shade. It prefers moist soil.

Edible Uses

Oil. Seed - raw or roasted. Rich in oil, they are similar to the Brazil nut in size and shape. When ripe, the ivory-white kernels have a delicious flavour with a soft, almost creamy texture. The seeds are said to be sweeter than Brazil nuts, with a superior flavour and easier to digest. A very nutritious seed, containing about 63% oil or fat and 20% protein. Seeds are about 5cm long and 2.5cm thick. The shell is thin and easily broken, when quite fresh, however, this shell is said to contain a poisonous principle. An edible oil can be obtained from the seed. Pale yellow in colour, suggestive of almond oil in both taste and smell.

Medicinal Uses

The fruits are sold by vendors of herbal medicine in Caracas, presumably for their depilatory effect.

Known Hazards

The seeds may be toxic when they come from plants growing on soils with selenium accumulation.

Distribution

S. America - Venezuela.

Where It Grows

SOUTHERN AMERICA: Venezuela (north-central)

Cultivation

Prefers a deep, fertile soil, though plants are probably not very fussy as to soil type. They prefer a sunny position. Trees have been known to produce their first crop in less than ten years from seed. Unlike the related Brazil nut, which only produces its seeds towards the top of the tree, this species can fruit right down to the lower branches. The seeds take 18 months to mature after flowering. It has been estimated that individual trees could produce about 80 kilos of seeds per year. The fruits, which are suspended from the ends of branches, develop a perfectly fitting 'lid', which drops off as the nuts ripen, thus scattering the seeds. These fruits have been used as monkey traps. A bait is placed inside the empty fruit, which the monkey puts its hand inside to grab and then finds it cannot withdraw its hand (unless it releases the bait of course).

Propagation

Seed - it only has a short period of viability so should be sown as soon as it is ripe.

Other Uses

Lighting Oil Soap Tannin WoodAn oil obtained from the seed is used for making soap and as an illuminant. The hard wooden 'fruits' that contain the seeds are put to various domestic or kitchen uses. By cutting them away slightly at the stalk end they can be made to stand upright. The bark is a source of tannins. The reddish to greyish-brown wood is easy to split, polishes well and is resistant to teredo and barnacles. It is used for wharves, piles, sluices, frames of houses etc. The wood is tough and difficult to work so it is not extensively used. We have no more specific information on the wood of this species. A general description of the wood from this genus is as follows:- The heartwood is light to dark salmon; the sapwood is creamy-yellow. The texture is medium fine and uniform; the grain fairly straight or slightly interlocked; lustre is mostly low but high in some species; there is no distinctive odour or taste. the wood is reported to be very durable upon exposure to both a white-rot and a brown-rot fungus confirming its reputation for high resistance to decay; it is also highly resistant to dry-wood termites and is reported to be moderately resistant to marine borer attack. It is rated as easy to moderately difficult to air season, depending on species; a slow to rapid drying rate is reported; warp and checking ranged from slight to moderate. The wood is moderately difficult to work because of its high density; however, surfaces obtained in planing, boring, sawing, and shaping were smooth and rated as good to excellent. Silica content varies with species and dulling of cutters is also variable. The wood is used for purposes such as heavy construction, ship keels and beams, railroad crossties, industrial flooring and other uses requiring high impact resistance (wagon wheels, tool handles), turnery.