Sterculia quadrifida, also known as the peanut tree, monkey nut or red-fruited kurrajong is a small tree that grows in some forests of New Guinea and Australia.

Description

The tree grows to a height of 30 m and has a spreading deciduous canopy. The bark is a light grey and the leaves are dark green and broad egg-shaped or sometimes heart-shaped at the base. The flowers, which are greenish-yellow and are borne in small clusters in the upper axils, occur from November to January (summer in Australia). Seed pods are orange outside and orange or red inside when ripe. These pods contain up to 8 black seeds that taste like raw peanuts.

Common names

Alternative common names for this species include kuman, orange-fruited kurrajong, orange-fruited sterculia, red-fruited kurrajong, smooth-seeded kurrajong, white crowsfoot and small-flowered kurrajong.

Distribution

It grows in the rainforests, vine thickets, and gallery forests of New Guinea and northern Australia.

Uses

The bitter black coating on the edible seeds is removed before consumption. The bark is used by indigenous Australians in their traditional weaving techniques to make baskets and other products.