Sterculius was the Roman god for manure heaps! This plant has the botanical name Sterculia quadrifida. It's common name is Peanut tree. Apparently the botanical name comes from the odour of the leaves and flowers, although I cannot really smell anything odd! The flowers are fairly inconspicuous, being a creamy colour. This is in stark contrast to the magnificent fruit. As you can see the shiny black seeds are held inside a brilliant orange capsule. They are quite striking. The fruit is said to be edible, raw or roasted and reputedly tastes a bit like peanuts. With any "bush tucker" I advise caution...if you are unsure of the species, leave it alone!

Apparently indigenous people used to use the leaves to treat wounds also. The tree grows in the drier rainforests from Richmond River right up to PNG. It is semidecidious, and has beautiful light green foliage at times throughout the year. There is a beautiful specimen growing in "The woods" at the end of Hastings Street. Further information and photos can be found on the Noosa's Native Plant website...www.noosanativeplants.com.au

Take the time to enjoy the wonderful plants in the Noosa Biosphere...