Finschia chloroxantha
Diels
Finschia nut
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Description
A tree up to 24-30 m tall with adventitious roots up to 1.5 m above the ground. The wood is red brown and strong. Leaves are long (25 cm) and narrow (5 cm) and without hairs. The leaves are often clustered near the ends of branches so that the tree does not have a dense covering of leaves. The leaves can be 25 cm by 10 cm in size and have a vein around the edge joining the other leaf veins. The flowers occur is a long cluster up to 30 cm long and are bright orange in colour. They hang below the leaves and on the older wood. The flowers have both male and female parts in the same flower. The nuts are round and 2.5 cm by 3 cm across and brown. They have a sharp point on one side. The outside of the fruit is soft but there is a hard shell inside with one large edible seed. Flowers are rusty brown in long strings up to 20 cm long. Fruit are about 5 cm across. They have one seed inside. The nuts are round and 2.5 cm by 3 cm across and brown.
Edible Uses
The edible kernel inside the nut is eaten after the hard shell is cracked, traditionally by burning after cooking. The seeds are cooked and eaten.
Traditional Uses
The kernels of the fruit are eaten. The hard shell is broken by burning after cooking.
This uses section is brief — help expand it
Medicinal Uses
No medicinal uses mentioned in available data.
Distribution
A tropical plant. Trees occur in lowland and mountain areas throughout Papua New Guinea up to about 1800 m altitude. They are usually in well drained primary forest. They also occur in the Solomon Islands and Vanuatu.
Where It Grows
Asia, Indonesia (Papua), Pacific*, Palau, Papua New Guinea, PNG, SE Asia, Solomon Islands, Vanuatu,
Cultivation
Trees are planted from seed but also grow wild. Seeds often germinate slowly. The fruit is harvested when ripe and roasted to crack the shell to obtain the edible kernel. The seeds are cooked and eaten.
Propagation
Seed - it is often slow to germinate.
Other Uses
The light brown wood has prominent broad rays. It is used locally in construction and to make a veneer that utilizes the attractive, oak-like grain. The reddish timber has potential for cabinet making.
Production
Trees flower from December to March and nuts are available from March to August. The seeds can be 3-4 g weight.
Other Information
A quite important nut tree in several areas of Papua New Guinea.
Notes
Because this tree is regarded as a valuable nut the tree is rarely cut down but the timber is a good hard and attractive timber.
Synonyms
Also Known As
Akama, Glama, Lenge, Mbrein, N'gye, Nyio neo, Pani, Quruqasa, Sauge, Togtua, Ugkom, Wagiam
References (58)
- Finschia references.
- Altschul, S.V.R., 1973, Drugs and Foods from Little-known Plants. Notes in Harvard University Herbaria. Harvard Univ. Press. Massachusetts. no. 758
- Altschul, S.V.R., 1973, Drugs and Foods from Little-known Plants. Notes in Harvard University Herbaria. Harvard Univ. Press. Massachusetts. no. 756 (As Grevillea elaeocarpifolia)
- Barrau, J., 1976, Subsistence Agriculture in Melanesia. Bernice P. Bishop Museum, Bulletin 219 Honolulu Hawaii. Kraus reprint. p 53 (As Grevillea elaeocarpifolia)
- Blench, R., 2004, Fruits and Arboriculture in the Indo-Pacific Region. Indo-Pacific Prehistory Association Bulletin 24. (Taipei Papers Volume 2) p 37
Show all 58 references Hide references
- Bot. Jahrb. Syst. 54:204. 1916
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- Diels, L., 1916, Egl. Bot. Jahrb. 54:204
- Evans, B. R, 1999, Edible nut Trees in Solomon Islands. A variety collection of Canarium, Terminalia and Barringtonia. ACIAR Technical Report No. 44 96pp (As Finschia waterhousiana)
- Foreman, D. B., 1971, A checklist of the Vascular Plants of Bougainville with Descriptions of some Common Forest Trees. Botany Bulletin No. 5. Department of Botany. p 122
- French, B.R., 1986, Food Plants of Papua New Guinea. A Compendium. Asia Pacific Science Foundation. p 177
- French, B.R., 2010, Food Plants of Solomon Islands. A Compendium. Food Plants International Inc. p 241, p 192 (As Finschia waterhousiana)
- Guillaumin, A., 1932, Grevillea elaeocarpifolia J. Arn. Arb. 13:87.
- Gillaumin, R., 1954, Les Plantes utiles des Nouvelles-Hebrides (fin et complement) In: Journal d'agriculture tropicale et de botanique appliquee Vol. 1, No. 10-12 pp 453-460 (As Grevillea elaeocarpifolia)
- Hartley, T.G., 1973, A Survey of New Guinea Plants for Alkaloids Lloydia 36(3):245.
- Havel, J.J., 1975, Forest Botany, Volume 3 Part 2 Botanical taxonomy. Papua New Guinea Department of Forests, p 59
- Hemsl., , 1885, Bot. Chall. 1(3):186
- Henderson, C.P. and Hancock, I.R., 1988, A Guide to the Useful Plants of Solomon Islands. Res. Dept. Min of Ag and Lands, Honiara, Solomon Islands. pp. 74-76. (Also as Finschia waterhousiana)
- Henty, E., Food Crops
- Johns, R.J., Common Forest Trees of Papua New Guinea. part 3 p 115.
- Johns, R.J., Finschia chloroxantha Diels in Verheij E.W.M. and Coronel, R.E., (Eds.) Plant Resources of South-East Asia. No 2 Edible fruits and nuts. p 167. PUDOC, Wageningen.
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- Menninger, E.A., 1977, Edible Nuts of the World. Horticultural Books. Florida p 22 (As Grevillea elaeocarpifolia)
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- NYBG Herbarium "edible" (As Finschia waterhousiana)
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