Aleurites moluccanus
Light walnut ( Aleurites moluccana ), branches with " floury ", lobed leaves, inflorescence and fruit.
The light walnut ( Aleurites moluccana ), also known as Kemirinuss or candle nut, a plant species within the family of Euphorbiaceae is ( Euphorbiaceae ). Its distribution extends from India to New Zealand. Its seeds are used in Southeast Asia as a spice.
Description
The light walnut is reached an evergreen tree, the growth heights of up to 20 meters. He has a wide canopy. The bark is dark gray and the bark is gray-brown hairs.
The alternate arranged leaves are divided into petiole and leaf blade. The petiole is usually 6 to 12, rarely up to 22 inches long. The simple, soft leathery leaf blade is ovate with a length of 12 to 23 centimeters and a width of 6 to 12 inches in young specimens three to five lobes and mature trees. The Spreitenbasis is heart-shaped and pulled out the top. The leaf margin is entire or provided with a few large teeth. The upper leaf surface is dark green and very glossy and the underside is bright shining star by silvery hair. There are three to five rare seven leaf veins present. The stipules are tiny.
The light walnut is monoecious getrenntgeschlechtig ( monoecious ). The flowers are borne in terminal or lateral, 10 to 20 centimeters long, branched inflorescences. The female flowers are 9 to 11 millimeters and the male 6 to 7 millimeters long. The calyxes are two-to three-lobed and hairy. The five white petals are lanceolate.
The tomentose hairy drupes are at a height of 4 to 5 centimeters and a diameter of 4 to 6 centimeters nearly spherical to slightly oblique spherical, slightly bilobed with four longitudinal ribs. The leathery skin is olive colored and crowded reddish. The fruits have a white " flesh " and have one or two casts. The hard-shelled stone core is at a size of about 2.5 × 2.75 × 2.25 cm broadly ovate with margins laterally flattened. The Episperm is hard and warty, edgy. The shell of the stone core is roughly wrinkled, plump, brown-black in color.
Occurrence and cultivation
The distribution area of the light walnut extends from India to China and Southeast Asia to New Zealand. Rarely the light walnut is planted in other tropical areas. They are found in rather dry tropical climate at altitudes up to 1200 meters. The light walnut is sensitive to frost and heat -loving.
System
The light walnut ( Aleurites moluccanus ) is a species of the genus Aleurites. The basionym Jatropha moluccana L. was published by Carl Linnaeus. Other synonyms include other Gand Aleurites javanicus. and Aleurites pentaphyllus Wall. ex Langeron.
Ingredients
The seeds contain hydrocyanic acid and a trace of Toxalbuminen.
Use
The seeds are rich in oils and are frequently used in Southeast Asian cooking as a spice. They have a slightly sweet, nutty flavor and act as a flavor enhancer. Raw they are toxic and can severe abdominal cramps, diarrhea and vomiting. Therefore, they are roasted prior to use, whereby they lose their toxicity. The pressed from the seeds kukui nut oil is also used as candle or lamp oil or for making soap. It can also be taken as a mild laxative. The squeezed oil cake is further processed in Indonesia for a snack. The cores can be left untreated lit as the light source.
The wood of the walnut tree light is light and not very stable.
Ecology
In New Caledonia, the New Caledonian crow (Corvus moneduloides ) used the leaves and branches of the light walnut as a raw material for tool manufacture. The handle bent stems and twigs are used by these birds to draw longhorn beetle larvae from their feeding programs.