Castanospermum

Castanospermum
C. australe
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
(unranked):	Angiosperms
(unranked):	Eudicots
(unranked):	Rosids
Order:	Fabales
Family:	Fabaceae
Subfamily:	Faboideae
Tribe:	Sophoreae
Genus:	Castanospermum A.Cunn ex Hook.
Species:	C. australe
Binomial name
Castanospermum australe A.Cunn & C.Fraser ex Hook.

Black beans, mature seeds, raw

Nutritional value per 100 g (3.5 oz)
Energy	1,425 kJ (341 kcal)
Carbohydrates	62.36 g
- Sugars	2.12 g
- Dietary fiber	15.2 g
Fat	1.42 g
Protein	21.60 g
Vitamin C	0.0 mg (0%)
Calcium	123 mg (12%)
Magnesium	171 mg (48%)
Phosphorus	352 mg (50%)
Potassium	1483 mg (32%)
Sodium	5 mg (0%)
Percentages are relative to US recommendations for adults. Source: USDA Nutrient Database

Castanospermum australe (Moreton Bay Chestnut or Blackbean), the only species in the genus Castanospermum, is a flowering plant in the family Fabaceae, native to the east coast of Australia in Queensland and New South Wales, and to the Pacific islands of Vanuatu and New Caledonia.

Growth

Small C. australe tree

It is a large evergreen tree growing to 40 metres (130 ft) tall, though commonly much smaller. The leaves are 15 centimetres (5.9 in) long and 6–7 centimetres (2.4–2.8 in) broad, pinnate, with 11-15 leaflets. The flowers are bicoloured red and yellow, 3–4 centimetres (1.2–1.6 in) long, produced in racemes 6 centimetres (2.4 in) long. The fruit is a cylindrical pod 12–20 centimetres (4.7–7.9 in) long and 4–6 centimetres (1.6–2.4 in) diameter, the interior divided by a spongy substance into one to five cells, each of which contains a large chestnut-like seed.

Uses

Pods.

The seeds are poisonous, but become edible when carefully prepared by pounding into flour, leaching with water, and roasting. The timber, which somewhat resembles walnut, is soft, fine-grained, and takes a good polish, but is not durable.

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  Castanospermum australe flower

References

• Australian National Botanic Gardens: Castanospermum australe
• Bush Tucker Plants: Moreton Bay Chestnut
• Plants for a Future: Castanospermum australe
•  This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Chisholm, Hugh, ed (1911). Encyclopædia Britannica (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press.