Moreton Bay chestnut facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Moreton Bay chestnut |
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| C. australe | |
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Angylocalyceae
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Castanospermum
A.Cunn ex Hook.
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C. australe
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| Castanospermum australe A.Cunn & C.Fraser ex Hook.
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The Castanospermum australe is a special kind of flowering plant. It's often called the Moreton Bay chestnut or blackbean. This tree is the only one in its group, called Castanospermum.
You can find this tree growing naturally along the east coast of Australia. It lives in places like Queensland and New South Wales. It also grows on Pacific islands such as Vanuatu, New Caledonia, and New Britain in Papua New Guinea.
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How the Tree Grows
The Moreton Bay chestnut is a large evergreen tree. This means it stays green all year round. It can grow up to 40 meters (about 130 feet) tall, but it's often much smaller.
Its leaves are about 15 centimeters (6 inches) long and 6 to 7 centimeters (2.5 inches) wide. Each leaf has 11 to 15 smaller leaflets.
The flowers are very pretty, with red and yellow colors. They are about 3 to 4 centimeters (1.5 inches) long. These flowers grow in groups called racemes, which are about 6 centimeters (2.5 inches) long.
After the flowers, the tree grows a special kind of fruit called a pod. These pods are shaped like a cylinder and are 12 to 20 centimeters (5 to 8 inches) long. They are also 4 to 6 centimeters (1.5 to 2.5 inches) wide. Inside the pod, there's a soft, spongy part that divides it into one to five sections. Each section holds a big chestnut-like seed.
Different Names for the Tree
The Moreton Bay chestnut has many names! In 1889, a book called 'The Useful Native Plants of Australia' listed "Moreton Bay Chestnut" and "Bean tree" as common names.
Aboriginal people, who are the first people of Australia, had their own names for it. They called it "Irtalie" near the Richmond and Clarence Rivers in New South Wales. Others in northern New South Wales called it "Bogum". Other names used by Aboriginal peoples include baway, yiwurra, junggurraa, mirrayn, ganyjuu, and binyjaalga.
How People Use the Blackbean Tree
Important to Aboriginal People
The blackbean tree was very important to Aboriginal peoples. Its seeds were a key food source during certain seasons. Because of this, the tree became a place where people would gather. These gatherings often led to special ceremonies.
There are even songlines (traditional stories told through songs) that feature the black bean seeds. The strong bark of the tree was used to make things like fish traps, animal traps, nets, and baskets. The empty seed pods were even used as toy boats! The tree also helped people know when to hunt jungle fowl, acting as a seasonal signal.
Can You Eat It?
It's very important to know that the seeds of the blackbean tree are poisonous if you eat them raw. They can make you sick, causing vomiting and diarrhea.
However, Aboriginal people learned how to prepare the seeds carefully to make them safe to eat. This process involved roasting the seeds, cutting them into small pieces, and then washing them in running water for several days. After that, they would pound the seeds into flour and roast it like a damper (a type of bread). People have been preparing and eating these seeds for at least 2,500 years!
Even though it was a traditional food, by 2012, the blackbean was not commonly used in modern bush tucker (traditional Australian foods). Also, there wasn't much information available about its nutritional value.
A Popular Plant
These trees are quite popular as potted plants. You can find them in homes and gardens in Asia, Europe, and America. They are also used in parks and other landscaped areas to provide shade.
Strong Wood
Aboriginal people used the wood from the blackbean tree to make spear throwers. The timber of the tree looks a bit like walnut wood. It's soft and has a fine grain, which means it can be polished very nicely. The wood is also very strong and can last for over 40 years when used above ground.
How the Tree Spreads
Because the blackbean tree was such an important food for Aboriginal people, they helped spread it. They would carry the seeds by hand into mountain areas along the east coast of Australia. For example, all the blackbean trees in New South Wales are thought to have come from just one single seed!
Naturally, the plant's seeds can also spread by water. Over time, the tree has also been introduced to other countries. You can now find it in India, Malaysia, Papua New Guinea, Sri Lanka, South Africa, and the United States of America.
Images for kids
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Castanospermum australe flower
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Small C. australe tree
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Mature pod and seeds
