Elaeocarpus pullenii
Weibel
President and Fellows of Harvard College
President and Fellows of Harvard College
President and Fellows of Harvard College
What to Eat
Edible parts: Nuts, Seeds
The seeds are eaten and represent an occasionally consumed wild edible nut in Papua New Guinea.
Where to Find It
A tropical plant. It occurs in rainforest and near streams. It is known from 700 to 1100 m above sea level.
Pacific, Papua New Guinea, PNG,
How to Identify
A tree up to 30 m tall. The leaves are long (18 cm x 8 cm) and shiny. They are clustered near the ends of twigs. The leaf stalks are long (5 cm) and twigs are bluish. The fruit is large (5.5 cm x 4.5 cm) with a bluish skin. Inside a 3 cornered hard stone has one seed inside.
How to Grow
It grows wild.
Propagation: The seed of most species in this genus is covered by a hard, woody shell and can be very slow and erratic to germinate, sometimes taking 2 years or more. Filing down the shell, or cracking it (being very careful not to damage the seed) in order to allow the ingress of moisture can help to greatly speed up germination. Sow the seed in containers in light shade. When the seedlings are large enough to handle, prick them out into individual pots and grow them on until large enough to plant out, Cuttings of almost ripe shoots, in a sandy soil in a frame. The leaves should be left on the stem.. Many species strike readily from cuttings.
Other Uses
We have no information on the specific properties of the wood of this species, however the following is a general description of the wood from this genus:- The heartwood is light-yellowish white to pink-brown, it is not distinctly demarcated from the sapwood. The texture is moderately fine and even, with straight to shallowly interlocked grain. The wood is soft to moderately hard; light in weight to moderately heavy; weak; not very durable. It seasons fairly slowly with slight end and surface checking; shrinkage is fairly low. It is easy to resaw and cross-cut; planing is easy and leaves a moderately smooth finish; nailing properties are good. A general purpose wood, it is suitable for purposes such as general planking, shuttering, boxes, crates, wooden pallets, match splints, veneer and plywood.
Other Information
In Papua New Guinea, an occasionally eaten wild edible nut.
Notes
There are about 360 Elaeocarpus species mostly in the tropics.
References (5)
- Bourke, M., 1995, Edible Indigenous Nuts in Papua New Guinea. In South Pacific Indigenous Nuts. ACIAR Proceedings No 69, Canberra. p 46
- Coode, M.J.E., in Henty, E.E., (Ed.), 1981, Handbooks of the Flora of Papua New Guinea, Melbourne University Press, p 78
- French, B.R., 1986, Food Plants of Papua New Guinea, A Compendium. Asia Pacific Science Foundation p 174
- Walter, A. & Sam C., 2002, Fruits of Oceania. ACIAR Monograph No. 85. Canberra. p 160, 279
- World Checklist of Useful Plant Species 2020. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew
