Prunus bucharica

(Korsh.) Hand.-Mazz.

Bukhara almond

RosaceaeSeeds/NutsPotential hazards — see below

iNaturalist · cc-by-nc
(c) Aleksandr Naumenko, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by Aleksandr Naumenko

iNaturalist · cc-by
(c) Harrison J Elkins, some rights reserved (CC BY)

What to Eat

Edible parts: Kernels, Nuts, Seeds - oil

The kernels and seeds are eaten; seed oil is extracted.

Known Hazards

Where to Find It

It is a temperate plant.

Asia, Central Asia, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan,

Countries: United Arab Emirates, Afghanistan, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bangladesh, Bahrain, Brunei, Bhutan, China, Georgia, Indonesia, Israel, India, Iraq, Iran, Jordan, Japan, Kyrgyzstan, Cambodia, North Korea, South Korea, Kuwait, Kazakhstan, Laos, Lebanon, Sri Lanka, Myanmar, Mongolia, Maldives, Malaysia, Nepal, Oman, Philippines, Pakistan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Syria, Thailand, Tajikistan, Timor-Leste, Turkmenistan, Turkey, Taiwan, Uzbekistan, Vietnam, Yemen

How to Identify

A temperate tree in the Rosaceae family with edible seeds high in oil.

Wikipedia

Source ↗

Prunus bucharica is a species of wild almond native to Tajikistan, Uzbekistan and Afghanistan, preferring to grow at 1000-1800 m above sea level. Long thought to be one of the wild species that contributed to the origin of the cultivated almond (Prunus dulcis), genetic testing of both nuclear and chloroplast DNA has shown that to be untrue; the closest relative (and presumed lone ancestor) of Prunus dulcis is Prunus fenzliana.

Notes

There are about 200 Prunus species. It is an at risk species.

Names & Synonyms

Amygdalus bucharica Korsh.Prunus bucharica (Korsh.) Hand.- Mazz. Prunus buchanica (Korsh.) B. Fedtsch.

References (6)

Ann. Naturhist. Hofmus. Wien 27:70. 1913
Eastwood, A., et al, 2009. The Red List of Trees of Central Asia. Fauna & Flora International. (As Amygdalus bucharica)
Facciola, S., 1998, Cornucopia 2: a Source Book of Edible Plants. Kampong Publications, p 193
INFOODSUpdatedFGU-list.xls
Wickens, G.E., 1995, Edible Nuts. FAO Non-wood forest products. FAO, Rome. p148
Zeven, A. C. & de West, J. M. J., 1982, Dictionary of cultivated plants and their regions of diversity. Wageningen. p 84