Common Name: Native Peanut

Botanical Name: Sterculia quadrifida

Larrakia Name: Dundil

A medium to tall deciduous tree growing up to 15m high. The leaves are large and heart-shaped with a pointed tip. The small flowers have four petals and are produced in clumps at the ends of branches. The fruit is the standout feature of this tree with leathery, oval shaped pods turning from green to bright orange to stunning red in colour when ripe. They burst open in a boat-shaped form to display glossy, black seeds.  

Aboriginal Uses 

Seeds are peeled and eaten raw, tasting similar to peanut. The inner bark is used for making string, rope, nets and fishing lines, bags and belts. Leaves are used in cooking and applied to stingray and stonefish stings and other wounds. A bark infusion is used to treat eye disorders.   

Interesting Facts

This leafy rainforest tree is in the same family as hibiscus and cacao. It is found in the vine thickets and rainforest regions of northern Australian as well as Timor and Papua New Guinea.

The nuts may be roasted once the paper-like skin is removed.