Indigenous Edible Nuts in Papua New Guinea

Abstract

This paper describes some of the indigenous edible nut species of Papua New Guinea (pNG), that is, species which were grown and eaten prior to settlement by other Pacific Islanders, Europeans and Asians from about 1870 AD onwards. More than 40 species of indigenous nuts are eaten in PNG. Information is given here on 13 of the most commonly eaten indigenous nuts, which are grown by two percent or more of the rural population, and three other indigenous nut species. The following attributes are covered for each species: how the nut is consumed; global distribution; distribution within PNG; altitudinal range in PNG; production pattern (crop seasonality); the number of rural people who live in locations where the species is commonly consumed; marketing; and potential for further development. The species covered are breadfruit (Artocarpus altilis), candle nut (Aleurites moluccana), castanopsis (Castanopsis acuminatissima), dausia (Terminalia megalocarpa), finschia (Finschia chloroxantha), galip (Canarium indicum), karuka (Pandanus julianettii), wild karuka (pandanus antaresensis and P. brosimos), okari (Terminalia impediens and T. kaernbachii), pao (Barringtonia procera), Polynesian chestnut (ai/a) (Inocarpus jagifer), sea almond (taUs) (Terminalia catappa), sis or solomon (Pangium edule) and tulip (Gnetum gnemon). Notes are given on three minor introduced species macadamia, cashew and pecan.