Botanical Name: Owenia acidula
Family: Meliaceae
Kingdom: Plantae
Order: Sapindales
Genus: Owenia
Species: O. acidula
Common Name: Emu apple
Habitat : Emu Apple is native to Australia. It grows in Australia – South Australia, New South Wales, Queensland, Northern Territory, Western Australia.Scattered on the plains.
Description:
Emu apple is a small or medium-sized tree of outback woodlands. It may grow to ten metres tall. The pinnate leaves are bright green and shiny, with leaflets 2–5 cm long. Broken twigs ooze a milky sap. The edible fruit is purplish-red with paler speckles, 2–4 cm wide with a large stone-like seed.
Propagation: Seed – very difficult to germinate – in nature it probably germinates after passing through the stomach of an emu.
Edible Uses:
The fruit pulp is an Aboriginal bushfood and apparently causes hallucinations. They ripen after coming off the tree, and have a sour flavor.
Fruit is eaten – raw or cooked A red, refreshing pulp. Intensely acid, it should be allowed to fall from the tree naturally and ripen further on the ground before consumption. It resembles a sour plum in flavour and has been used to make jams. Some people recommend burying the fruit for several days prior to eating it. The fruit is a reddish-purple globose drupe 20 – 35mm in diameter.
Disclaimer : The information presented herein is intended for educational purposes only.
Resources:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Owenia_acidula
http://tropical.theferns.info/viewtropical.php?id=Owenia+acidula
