Flora of New Zealand Series

macadamia

Small or medium-sized tree, usually with several trunks. Lvs in whorls of (3)-4, subsessile or shortly petiolate. Lamina 12-25 × 3-6.5 cm, narrow-oblong or oblong-obovate, very coriaceous, with undulate, spiny-serrate margins, glabrous except when very young; base ± truncate or broad-cuneate; apex acute or mucronate. Racemes ± = lvs, pendulous, composed of many small fragrant white fls. Peduncle and pedicels densely clothed in rufous hairs; fls in fascicles of 2-4. Perianth 8-10 mm long, rather densely clothed in appressed hairs outside. Anthers 1.7-1.8 mm long, > free portion of filament. Ovary and style densely clothed in rufous hairs. Fr. 2.5-3.5 cm diam., globose, apiculate; endocarp shining brown, thick. Seed large.

K.: Raoul Id.

E. Australia 1977

Known from a few trees on terraces near an abandoned orchard.

FL Aug-Oct.

Macadamia was introduced to the Kermadecs many years ago. Although fruiting of wild trees is prolific, rats eat most of the seed before it can germinate. Macadamia is cultivated for its edible nuts in the warmest parts of N.Z. The fls are often pale pink in cultivation.