Silky Tamarind, Woolly-nerved Guioa
Guioa lasioneura
Family: Sapindaceae
What it is like
A tree up to 15 m tall. It spreads to 3-5 m wide. It can have buttresses. The leaves are compound and alternate. There are 2-4 leaflets and these are 3-13 cm long. The leaflets can have rusty hairs. The fruit is 8-14 mm long by 10-22 mm wide. They occur in bunches in the axils of leaves. There are 1-3 seeds. These have an orange aril or layer around them. This aril is edible.
There are about 64-80 Guioa species. They are mostly in the Asian tropics.
Where it is found
A tropical plant. It suits tropical and subtropical regions. Plants need some shade when young. It grows naturally in rainforest in Central Eastern Queensland in Australia. It grows from sea level to 1470 m altitude.
Countries/locations it is found in
Australia (country/location of origin)
How it is used for food
Edible parts
Fruit
How it is grown
Plants are grown from seed. The seed needs to be planted fresh.