Semecarpus australiensis
Encyclopedia
Semecarpus australiensis, Australian cashew nut, is a tree that grows in open forest or rainforest
in Australia
, Torres Strait Islands
, and Papua New Guinea
. It is related to the standard cashew
(Anacardium occidentale).
The leaves are prominently veined, large, dark green on the upper surface and paler underneath. Small cream-coloured flowers are followed by unusual fruits that have the seeds on the outside contained in a leathery pod attached to an orange or red fruit-like fleshy base.
exercise great care in preparing the seeds, including handling the fruit with hands coated in clay for skin protection. The seeds are roasted in the fire before eating, and taste similar to normal cashews.
Rainforest
Rainforests are forests characterized by high rainfall, with definitions based on a minimum normal annual rainfall of 1750-2000 mm...
in Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
, Torres Strait Islands
Torres Strait Islands
The Torres Strait Islands are a group of at least 274 small islands which lie in Torres Strait, the waterway separating far northern continental Australia's Cape York Peninsula and the island of New Guinea but Torres Strait Island known and Recognize as Nyumaria.The islands are mostly part of...
, and Papua New Guinea
Papua New Guinea
Papua New Guinea , officially the Independent State of Papua New Guinea, is a country in Oceania, occupying the eastern half of the island of New Guinea and numerous offshore islands...
. It is related to the standard cashew
Cashew
The cashew is a tree in the family Anacardiaceae. Its English name derives from the Portuguese name for the fruit of the cashew tree, caju, which in turn derives from the indigenous Tupi name, acajú. It is now widely grown in tropical climates for its cashew nuts and cashew apples.-Etymology:The...
(Anacardium occidentale).
The leaves are prominently veined, large, dark green on the upper surface and paler underneath. Small cream-coloured flowers are followed by unusual fruits that have the seeds on the outside contained in a leathery pod attached to an orange or red fruit-like fleshy base.
Uses
Because of the extremely irritating sap, AboriginesAustralian Aborigines
Australian Aborigines , also called Aboriginal Australians, from the latin ab originem , are people who are indigenous to most of the Australian continentthat is, to mainland Australia and the island of Tasmania...
exercise great care in preparing the seeds, including handling the fruit with hands coated in clay for skin protection. The seeds are roasted in the fire before eating, and taste similar to normal cashews.