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Useful Tropical Plants

Omphalea papuana

Pax & K.Hoffm.

Euphorbiaceae


Omphalea papuana and Omphalea queenslandiae F.M.Bailey are similar species that have at times been confused. Their ranges overlap in northeastern Australia. The report on edibility from [
658
Title
Food Plants of Papua New Guinea
Publication
 
Author
French. B.R.
Publisher
Author.
Year
2006
ISBN
 
Description
Published on-line in PDF format, this book contains information on several hundred New Guinea food plants.
] for Omphalea queenslandiae refers to plants growing wild in New Guinea and almost certainly refers to Omphalea papuana. Omphalea queenslandiae is endemic to northeastern Australia and its range does not extend to New Guinea. The report from [
658
Title
Food Plants of Papua New Guinea
Publication
 
Author
French. B.R.
Publisher
Author.
Year
2006
ISBN
 
Description
Published on-line in PDF format, this book contains information on several hundred New Guinea food plants.
] cites Omphalea gageana (Pax & K.Hoffm.) Airy Shaw as a synonym of Omphalea queenslandiae, but Omphalea gageana is seen as a synonym of Omphalea papuana and is treated as such here.

+ Synonyms

Aleurites erraticus O.Deg., I.Deg. & K.Hummel

Neomphalea gageana Pax & K.Hoffm.

Neomphalea papuana (Pax & K.Hoffm.) Pax & K.Hoffm.

Omphalea gageana Airy Shaw

Omphalea papuana Gage

Common Name:

No Image.

General Information

Omphalea papuana is an evergreen climbing plant with woody stems that can be around 8cm wide. It climbs into the surrounding vegetation, supporting itself by means of tendrils[
713
Title
Australian Tropical Rainforest Plants
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://www.anbg.gov.au/cpbr/cd-keys/rfk/index.html
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
An online resource giving botanical information, and a little bit about plant usage, for over 2,700 species of plants found in the Australian rainforest.
].
The plant is harvested from the wild for local use as a food.

Known Hazards

Although the family Euphorbiaceae contains a very high percentage of poisonous plants, the seeds of this and several other species in the genus Omphalea are an exception to the rule, with several of them being considered wholesome and being eaten by humans. Some caution should be employed, however, since there are often warnings about how they should be eaten. Some reports, for example, say that the embryo of this species needs to be removed in order to remove a deleterious principal[
63
Title
Nuts.
Publication
 
Author
Howes. F. N.
Publisher
Faber
Year
1948
ISBN
-
Description
Rather old but still a masterpiece. Has sections on tropical and temperate plants with edible nuts plus a section on nut plants in Britain. Very readable.
,
975
Title
Les Plantes Utiles des Colonies Françaises
Publication
 
Author
J.-L. De Lanessan (Editor)
Website
http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/Default.aspx
Publisher
 
Year
1886
ISBN
 
Description
Information on the useful plants of the Frech colonies towards the end of the 19th century. Many botanical names have changed, but the information remains valid and is often not easy to find elsewhwere. It can be downloaded from the Internet
].

Botanical References


Range

Australasia - Australia (Queensland), New Guinea, Solomon Islands

Habitat

Lowland gallery forest and rainforest; at elevations up to 50 metres[
713
Title
Australian Tropical Rainforest Plants
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://www.anbg.gov.au/cpbr/cd-keys/rfk/index.html
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
An online resource giving botanical information, and a little bit about plant usage, for over 2,700 species of plants found in the Australian rainforest.
].

Properties

HabitEvergreen Climber
Height0.00 m
Cultivation StatusWild

Cultivation Details

The plant can not withstand frost[
658
Title
Food Plants of Papua New Guinea
Publication
 
Author
French. B.R.
Publisher
Author.
Year
2006
ISBN
 
Description
Published on-line in PDF format, this book contains information on several hundred New Guinea food plants.
].
Plants require a sunny position in well drained soil[
658
Title
Food Plants of Papua New Guinea
Publication
 
Author
French. B.R.
Publisher
Author.
Year
2006
ISBN
 
Description
Published on-line in PDF format, this book contains information on several hundred New Guinea food plants.
]

Edible Uses

Seed - cooked[
658
Title
Food Plants of Papua New Guinea
Publication
 
Author
French. B.R.
Publisher
Author.
Year
2006
ISBN
 
Description
Published on-line in PDF format, this book contains information on several hundred New Guinea food plants.
,
1817
Title
South Pacific Indigenous Nuts. ACIAR Proceedings No 69
Publication
 
Author
Stevens M.L.; Bourke R.M. & Evans B.R.
Publisher
Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research; Canbe
Year
1996
ISBN
1 86320 175 0
Description
Proceedings of a workshop held from 31 October to 4 November 1994 at Le Lagon Resort, Port Vila, Vanuatu.
]. - see notes above on taxonomy.
A cluster of fruit is borne on a branch up to 5cm long near the base. The fruit is 6 - 10cm across and fleshy with
3 - 4 lobes. The fruit surface is smooth and yellow when ripe. The seed coat is hard, brown and ridged. The kernel is white[
658
Title
Food Plants of Papua New Guinea
Publication
 
Author
French. B.R.
Publisher
Author.
Year
2006
ISBN
 
Description
Published on-line in PDF format, this book contains information on several hundred New Guinea food plants.
]. A kernel of a nut weighs about 3 grams[
658
Title
Food Plants of Papua New Guinea
Publication
 
Author
French. B.R.
Publisher
Author.
Year
2006
ISBN
 
Description
Published on-line in PDF format, this book contains information on several hundred New Guinea food plants.
].

Medicinal

None known

Other Uses

None known

Propagation

Seed -
Cuttings of firm new growth[
658
Title
Food Plants of Papua New Guinea
Publication
 
Author
French. B.R.
Publisher
Author.
Year
2006
ISBN
 
Description
Published on-line in PDF format, this book contains information on several hundred New Guinea food plants.
]
Cite as: Tropical Plants Database, Ken Fern. tropical.theferns.info. 2024-10-13. <tropical.theferns.info/viewtropical.php?id=Omphalea+papuana>

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