This beautiful Native Peanut Tree, Sterculia quadrifida (photo above), was in full flower when it caught our attention during a recent outing with the local Wildlife Queensland group.
The species Sterculia quadrifida was historically classified in the botanical family Sterculiaceae. Now, on the basis of molecular analysis, it is part of the Malvaceae, in the sub-family Sterculioideae.
While Sterculia quadrifida is a local native in our region, it has a wide natural range across northern Australia extending down the east coast to north-east NSW, typically growing in vine thickets and drier rain forest.
Sterculia quadrifida has glossy leaves clustered towards the ends of its branches, and it bears panicles of small cream-coloured flowers (photo above) with a light scent.
Viewed close up, the inflorescence of Sterculia quadrifida is densely hairy (photo above). Individual trees have both male and female flowers in complex arrangements. Botanical enthusiasts can find details about flowering and pollination of Sterculia quadrifida on the website of the Rare Fruit Club of Western Australia.
Eye-catching mature fruits of Sterculia quadrifida (photo above) split open to display velvety black seeds. With proper preparation, these seeds are edible and reportedly taste a bit like raw peanuts, hence the tree’s common name.
Sterculia quadrifida seeds have traditionally provided a valuable food resource for Indigenous Australians who also used crushed leaves and infusions of bark from this species for therapeutic treatments.