3601.000 Castanospermum A. Cunn. ex Hook.

Evergreen tree to 30 m tall. Leaves large, usually imparipinnate (terminal leaf may be absent) with 7-19 elliptic-oblong alternate leaflets. Inflorescences comprising racemes which are produced on woody bosses along the trunk and main branches and bearing long, waxy, pea-type flowers that open vivid yellow with green tinges and age to orange-red. Stamens protruding well beyond the petals. Pods woody, splitting open to release 1-5 globose, black seeds. Seeds are poisonous when raw but edible when cooked.

Derivation of name: from the Latin castanea, a chestnut and spermum, a seed, alluding to the similarity of the seeds to those of the Sweet chestnut, Castanea sativa.

Worldwide: Genus of one species only, native to Australia, Vanuatu and New Caledonia.

Zimbabwe: 1 cultivated taxon.