Macadamia - Revision history

Raffi at 19:20, 14 April 2011

2011-04-14T19:20:02Z

Raffi at 21:41, 22 December 2009

2009-12-22T21:41:58Z

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Murali.lalitha at 20:56, 18 December 2009

2009-12-18T20:56:51Z

Envoy at 13:49, 6 May 2007

2007-05-06T13:49:24Z

Raffi at 07:09, 27 March 2007

2007-03-27T07:09:25Z

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{{otheruses4|the nut|the band|Macadamia (band)}}

{{Taxobox
| color = lightgreen
| name = ''Macadamia''
| image = Macadamia integrifolia.jpg
| image_width = 230px
| image_caption = ''Macadamia integrifolia'' foliage and nuts
| regnum = [[Plantae]]
| divisio = [[Flowering plant|Magnoliophyta]]
| classis = [[Magnoliopsida]]
| ordo = [[Proteales]]
| familia = [[Proteaceae]]
| genus = '''''Macadamia'''''
| genus_authority = [[Ferdinand von Mueller|F.Muell.]]
| subdivision_ranks = Species
| subdivision =
''Macadamia claudiensis'' 
''Macadamia grandis'' 
''Macadamia hildebrandii'' 
''Macadamia integrifolia'' 
''Macadamia jansenii'' 
''Macadamia ternifolia'' 
''Macadamia tetraphylla'' 
''Macadamia whelanii''
}}

'''''Macadamia''''' is a [[genus]] of eight [[species]] of [[flowering plant]]s in the family [[Proteaceae]], with a [[disjunct distribution]] native to eastern [[Australia]] (seven species) and [[Indonesia]] [[Sulawesi]] (one species, ''M. hildebrandii'').
[[Image:MacFlowers.JPG|left|thumb|''Macadamia integrifolia'' flowers]]
They are small to large [[evergreen]] [[tree]]s growing to 6-40 m tall. The [[leaf|leaves]] are arranged in whorls of three to six, lanceolate to obovate or elliptical in shape, 6-30 cm long and 2-13 cm broad, with an entire or spiny-serrated margin. The [[flower]]s are produced in a long slender simple [[raceme]] 5-30 cm long, the individual flowers 10-15 mm long, white to pink or purple, with four [[tepal]]s. The [[fruit]] is a very hard woody globose [[follicle]] with a pointed apex, containing one or two [[seed]]s.

The genus is named after [[John Macadam]], who was a colleague of the [[botany|botanist]] [[Ferdinand von Mueller]] who first described the genus. Common names include '''Macadamia''', '''Macadamia nut''', '''Queensland nut''', '''Bush nut''', and '''Maroochi nut'''; [[Indigenous Australians|Indigenous Australian]] names include '''Kindal Kindal''' and '''Jindilli'''. 
===Cultivation and uses===
[[Image:MacNut2.JPG|left|thumb|Macadamia nut in its shell and a roasted nut]]

The [[nut (fruit)|nuts]] are a valuable [[food crop]]. Only two of the species, ''M. integrifolia'' and ''M. tetraphylla'', are of commercial importance. The remainder of the genus possess poisonous and/or inedible nuts, such as ''M. whelanii'' and ''M. ternifolia''; the toxicity is due to the presence of [[glycoside|cyanogenic glycosides]]. These glycosides can be removed by prolonged leaching, a practice carried out by some [[Indigenous Australian]] people in order to use these species as well.

The two species of [[edible]] Macadamia readily hybridise, and ''M. tetraphylla'' is rare in the wild due to this. Wild nut trees were originally found at [[Mt. Bauple]] near [[Maryborough, Queensland|Maryborough]] in SE [[Queensland]], Australia. Locals in this area still refer to them as "Bauple nuts". The Macadamia nut is the only plant food native to Australia that is produced and exported in any significant quantity.

It's recorded that the first commercial orchard of Macadamia nut was planted in the 1880s by Mr Charles Staff at Rous Mill, 12 km south east of [[Lismore, New South Wales]], consisting of ''M.tetraphylla''.

The Macadamia tree does not begin to produce commercial quantities of nuts until it is 7-10 years old, but once established, may continue bearing for over 100 years. Macadamias prefer fertile, well-drained soils, a rainfall of 1000-2000 mm, and temperatures not falling below 10 °C (although once established they can withstand light frosts), with an optimum temperature of 25 °C. The roots are shallow and trees can be blown down in storms; they are also susceptible to ''[[Phytophthora]]'' root disease. Outside of Australia, commercial production is also established in [[Hawaii]] (the largest commercial producer), [[Brazil]], [[California]], [[Israel]], [[Kenya]], [[ Bolivia]], [[New Zealand]], [[South Africa]] and [[Malawi]].

The Macadamia nut's kernel is extremely hard to mine out of its shell (it requires about 300 [[Pound-force per square inch|psi]]
or 2000 [[Pascal (unit)|kPa]] to crack), but after some time in a warm and dry place the shell may develop big cracks. The nut can be opened then with a screwdriver, though the warm dry conditions also reduce the nutritional value of the nut. The shell is most easily cracked with a metalworking bench [[Vice (tool)|vice]], but care must be taken not to crush the kernel in the process. The nuts can be opened simply by locating the seam line on the shell (This seam line can be located by looking carefully at the shell) and placing a knife blade on the line and tapping with a hammer. The shell will open and allow the nut to be removed whole. A safer and quicker alternative is to use a Ratchet style PVC pipe cutter. Place the cutter blade on the seam line and ratchet it closed - the shell will split and allow the nut to be removed. When nuts have dried for a period of time the kernel will fall out (with green or fresh nuts the kernel may stick in the shell). The nuts can also be smashed open with a hammer or heavy solid kitchen tool. Boiling the nuts for a few minutes in a pot until the nuts rise to the surface is also a good way as it causes the nuts to crack. Nuts of the "Arkin Papershell" variety, cultivated by retired stockbroker [[Morris Arkin]], each have a blemish or small crack somewhere on the shell, and the shell will crack open readily if left for a few days, or if struck properly with a hammer.[http://www.echonet.org/eln&herbs/eln_catalog/fruittreesM.htm]

[[Macadamia oil]] is prized for containing approximately 22% of the [[Omega-7]] [[palmitoleic acid]][http://www.bagkf.de/sofa/], which makes it a botanical alternative to [[mink oil]], which contains approx. 17%. This relatively high content of "cushiony" palmitoleic acid plus macadamia's high oxidative stability make it a desirable ingredient in cosmetics, especially skincare.

Macadamia nuts are toxic to [[dog]]s. Ingestion may result in Macadamia nut [[toxicosis]], which is marked by [[weakness]] with the inability to stand within 12 hours of ingestion. Recovery is usually within 48 hours [http://www.aspca.org/site/DocServer/toxbrief_0402.pdf?docID=115].

The trees are also grown as [[ornamental plant]]s in subtropical regions for their glossy foliage and attractive flowers.

''Macadamia'' species are used as food plants by the [[larva]]e of some [[Lepidoptera]] species including ''[[Batrachedra|Batrachedra arenosella]]''.

==External links==
*[http://www.anbg.gov.au/abrs/online-resources/flora/stddisplay.xsql?pnid=2524 Flora of Australia: ''Macadamia'']
*{{APNI | name = Macadamia F.Muell. | id = 46142}}
* [http://sres.anu.edu.au/associated/fpt/nwfp/macanut/macanut.html Australia's most delicious bush nut]

[[Category:Australian Aboriginal culture]]
[[Category:Bushfood]]
[[Category:Edible nuts and seeds]]
[[Category:Proteaceae]]
[[Category:Proteales of Australia]]

@@ Line 6: / Line 6: @@
 |Min ht metric=cm
 |origin=Australia
-|features=edible
+|lifespan=perennial
 |Temp Metric=°F
 |image=Macadamia integrifolia.jpg
 |image_width=200
@@ Line 15: / Line 17: @@
 '''''Macadamia''''' is a [[genus]] of nine [[species]] of [[flowering plant]]s in the family [[Proteaceae]], with a [[disjunct distribution]] native to eastern [[Australia]] (seven species), [[New Caledonia]] (one species ''[http://www.iucnredlist.org/search/details.php/31009/all M. neurophylla]'') and [[Sulawesi]] in [[Indonesia]] (one species, ''M. hildebrandii'').
-They are small to large [[evergreen]] [[tree]]s growing to 2–12 m tall. The [[leaf|leaves]] are arranged in whorls of three to six, lanceolate to obovate or elliptical in [[Leaf shape|shape]], 6–30&nbsp;cm long and 2–13&nbsp;cm broad, with an entire or spiny-serrated margin. The [[flower]]s are produced in a long slender simple [[raceme]] 5–30&nbsp;cm long, the individual flowers 10–15&nbsp;mm long, white to pink or purple, with four [[tepal]]s. The [[fruit]] is a very hard woody globose [[Follicle (fruit)|follicle]] with a pointed apex, containing one or two [[seed]]s.
+They are small to large [[evergreen]] [[tree]]s growing to 2–12 m tall. The [[leaf|leaves]] are arranged in whorls of three to six, lanceolate to obovate or elliptical in [[Leaf shape|shape]], 6–30 cm long and 2–13 cm broad, with an entire or spiny-serrated margin. The [[flower]]s are produced in a long slender simple [[raceme]] 5–30 cm long, the individual flowers 10–15 mm long, white to pink or purple, with four [[tepal]]s. The [[fruit]] is a very hard woody globose [[Follicle (fruit)|follicle]] with a pointed apex, containing one or two [[seed]]s.
 The genus is named after [[John Macadam]], a colleague of [[botany|botanist]] [[Ferdinand von Mueller]], who first described the genus.<ref>Mueller, F.J.H. von (1857) Account of some New Australian Plants. Transactions of the Philosophical Institute of Victoria 2: 72
@@ Line 29: / Line 31: @@
 [[Image:Macadamia integrifolia, buds.jpg|left|thumb|''Macadamia integrifolia'' flowers]]
-The macadamia tree is usually propagated by [[grafting]], and does not begin to produce commercial quantities of nuts until it is 7–10 years old, but once established, may continue bearing for over 100 years. Macadamias prefer fertile, well-drained soils, a rainfall of 1,000–2,000&nbsp;mm, and temperatures not falling below 10 °C (although once established they can withstand light frosts), with an optimum temperature of 25 °C. The roots are shallow and trees can be blown down in storms; they are also susceptible to ''[[Phytophthora]]'' root disease.
+The macadamia tree is usually propagated by [[grafting]], and does not begin to produce commercial quantities of nuts until it is 7–10 years old, but once established, may continue bearing for over 100 years. Macadamias prefer fertile, well-drained soils, a rainfall of 1,000–2,000 mm, and temperatures not falling below 10 °C (although once established they can withstand light frosts), with an optimum temperature of 25 °C. The roots are shallow and trees can be blown down in storms; they are also susceptible to ''[[Phytophthora]]'' root disease.
 The macadamia nut has an extremely hard shell, but can be cracked using a blunt instrument, such as a hammer or rock applied with some force to the nut sitting in a concave surface, or a custom made macadamia nutcracker can be used. Nuts of the "Arkin Papershell" variety crack open more readily.
@@ Line 36: / Line 38: @@
 ==Cultivars==
 ===Beaumont===
-A ''M. integrifolia'' / ''M. tetraphylla'' hybrid commercial variety widely planted in Australia & New Zealand. Discovered by Dr. J. H. Beaumont.  It has a good taste, high in oil, but not sweet. New leaves reddish, flowers bright pink, borne on long racemes. It is one of the quickest varieties to come into bearing once planted in the garden, usually carrying a useful crop by the fourth year, and improving from then on. It crops prodigously when well pollinated. The impressive grape-like clusters of nuts are sometimes so heavy they break the branchlet they are attached to. In commercial orchards, it has reached 18&nbsp;kg of nuts per tree by 8 years old! On the downside, the nuts don't drop from the tree when ripe, and the leaves are a bit prickly when you are reaching into the interior of the tree during harvest. Beaumonts' shell is easier than most commercial varieties to open.
+A ''M. integrifolia'' / ''M. tetraphylla'' hybrid commercial variety widely planted in Australia & New Zealand. Discovered by Dr. J. H. Beaumont.  It has a good taste, high in oil, but not sweet. New leaves reddish, flowers bright pink, borne on long racemes. It is one of the quickest varieties to come into bearing once planted in the garden, usually carrying a useful crop by the fourth year, and improving from then on. It crops prodigously when well pollinated. The impressive grape-like clusters of nuts are sometimes so heavy they break the branchlet they are attached to. In commercial orchards, it has reached 18 kg of nuts per tree by 8 years old! On the downside, the nuts don't drop from the tree when ripe, and the leaves are a bit prickly when you are reaching into the interior of the tree during harvest. Beaumonts' shell is easier than most commercial varieties to open.
 [[Image:Macadamia Maroochy.JPG|right|thumb|Macadamia Maroochy new growth]]

← Older revision		Revision as of 20:56, 18 December 2009
Line 1:		Line 1:
		+	{{SPlantbox
		+	\|genus=Macadamia
		+	\|Min ht metric=cm
		+	\|Temp Metric=°F
		+	\|jumpin=This is the plant information box - for information on light; water; zones; height; etc. If it is mostly empty you can help grow this page by clicking on the edit tab and filling in the blanks!
		+	\|image=Upload.png
		+	\|image_width=240
		+	}}
		+	{{Inc\|
		+	Macadamia (after John Macadam, M.D., secretary Philosophical Institute, Victoria, Australia). Proteaceae?. A small group of Australian trees or tall shrubs, of which M. ternifolia is cultivated for its edible fruit, and is the best known.
		+
		+	Leaves verticillate, entire or serrate: fls. hermaphrodite, pedicellate in pairs or scattered, in terminal or axillary racemes or panicles; perianth regular or nearly so; stamens inserted a little below the blades, filaments short; ovary sessile, with a long straight style, ovoid or clavate at end, stigma small; ovules 2: fr. globular; seeds either solitary and globular or 2 and hemispherical; testa membranous.
		+	}}
		+
	{{otheruses4\|the nut\|the band\|Macadamia (band)}}		{{otheruses4\|the nut\|the band\|Macadamia (band)}}

@@ Line 42: / Line 42: @@
 The Macadamia tree does not begin to produce commercial quantities of nuts until it is 7-10 years old, but once established, may continue bearing for over 100 years. Macadamias prefer fertile, well-drained soils, a rainfall of 1000-2000 mm, and temperatures not falling below 10 °C (although once established they can withstand light frosts), with an optimum temperature of 25 °C. The roots are shallow and trees can be blown down in storms; they are also susceptible to ''[[Phytophthora]]'' root disease. Outside of Australia, commercial production is also established in [[Hawaii]] (the largest commercial producer), [[Brazil]], [[California]], [[Israel]], [[Kenya]], [[ Bolivia]], [[New Zealand]], [[South Africa]] and [[Malawi]].
-The Macadamia nut's kernel is extremely hard to mine out of its shell (it requires about 300 [[Pound-force per square inch|psi]]
+The Macadamia nut's kernel is extremely hard to mine out of its shell (it requires about 300 [[Pound-force per square inch|psi]]or 2000 [[Pascal (unit)|kPa]] to crack), but after some time in a warm and dry place the shell may develop big cracks. The nut can be opened then with a screwdriver, though the warm dry conditions also reduce the nutritional value of the nut. The shell is most easily cracked with a metalworking bench [[Vice (tool)|vice]], but care must be taken not to crush the kernel in the process.  The nuts can be opened simply by locating the seam line on the shell (This seam line can be located by looking carefully at the shell) and placing a knife blade on the line and tapping with a hammer. The shell will open and allow the nut to be removed whole. A safer and quicker alternative is to use a Ratchet style PVC pipe cutter. Place the cutter blade on the seam line and ratchet it closed - the shell will split and allow the nut to be removed. When nuts have dried for a period of time the kernel will fall out (with green or fresh nuts the kernel may stick in the shell). The nuts can also be smashed open with a hammer or heavy solid kitchen tool. Boiling the nuts for a few minutes in a pot until the nuts rise to the surface is also a good way as it causes the nuts to crack. Nuts of the "Arkin Papershell" variety, cultivated by retired stockbroker [[Morris Arkin]], each have a blemish or small crack somewhere on the shell, and the shell will crack open readily if left for a few days, or if struck properly with a hammer.[http://www.echonet.org/eln&herbs/eln_catalog/fruittreesM.htm]
 [[Macadamia oil]] is prized for containing approximately 22% of the [[Omega-7]] [[palmitoleic acid]][http://www.bagkf.de/sofa/], which makes it a botanical alternative to [[mink oil]], which contains approx. 17%.  This relatively high content of "cushiony" palmitoleic acid plus macadamia's high oxidative stability make it a desirable ingredient in cosmetics, especially skincare.