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Sloanea tieghemii

(F. Muell) A.C. Sm.

Elaeocarpaceae Edible: Nuts, Seeds

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President and Fellows of Harvard College

gbif· cc0

President and Fellows of Harvard College

gbif· cc0

President and Fellows of Harvard College

Description

A small shrub or a large tree. It can be 2-30 m high. Larger trees have buttresses. It has alternate leaves which are almost opposite. The leaves are 3-5 cm x 2-3 cm and not consistently hairy. The edge of the leaves is fairly smooth. The leaf stalk is 0.5-2 cm long and is usually thickened at each end. The flowers are small but showy.

Edible Uses

The kernels of the nuts are eaten after cooking.

Traditional Uses

The kernels of the nuts are eaten after cooking.

This uses section is brief — help expand it

Distribution

A tropical plant. They grow from 2200 to 2800 m altitude. It often grows naturally in old gardens and regrowth sites.

Where It Grows

Pacific, Papua New Guinea, PNG,

Cultivation

They mostly grow wild from seed. They can be grown from ripe wood cuttings.

Other Information

Scattered trees occur in highland areas of Papua New Guinea.

Notes

There are 100-120 Sloanea species.

Synonyms

Sloanea archboldiana Smith

References (8)

  • Altschul, S.V.R., 1973, Drugs and Foods from Little-known Plants. Notes in Harvard University Herbaria. Harvard Univ. Press. Massachusetts. no. 2702
  • Bourke, M., 1995, Edible Indigenous Nuts in Papua New Guinea. In South Pacific Indigenous Nuts. ACIAR Proceedings No 69, Canberra. p 46
  • Bulmer, R. N. H., 1964, Edible seeds and prehistoric stone mortars in the Highlands of East New Guinea. Man Vol. 64: 147-150 (As Sloanea archiboldiana)
  • Coode, M.J.E., in Henty, E.E., (Ed.), 1981, Handbooks of the Flora of Papua New Guinea, Melbourne University Press, p 179
  • French, B.R., 1986, Food Plants of Papua New Guinea, A Compendium. Asia Pacific Science Foundation p 198
Show all 8 references
  • Powell, J.M., Ethnobotany. In Paijmans, K., 1976, New Guinea Vegetation. Australian National University Press. p 111
  • Walter, A. & Sam C., 2002, Fruits of Oceania. ACIAR Monograph No. 85. Canberra. p 282
  • World Checklist of Useful Plant Species 2020. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew

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