Smith’s tamarind
Diploglottis smithii
Family: Sapindaceae
What it is like
A medium sized tree. It grows 7-15 m tall and 3-8 m wide. Young shoots have rusty hairs. The leaves are 30-45 cm long. The leaves are compound with 8-12 leaflets. These are 9-20 cm long. The underside of the leaflets has silky hairs. The flower panicles are 10-30 cm long. The flowers are 0.5 cm across and with some hairs. The fruit are 1.5-4.5 cm long by 2-5.5 cm wide. They occur in bunches in the axils of leaves. There are 2-3 seeds which are 1.3 cm long by 1 cm wide. The aril or layer around the seed is red or orange. It is edible.
There are 8 Diploglottis species.
Where it is found
A tropical plant. It suits tropical and warm subtropical regions. They grow naturally in rainforest in NE Queensland, Australia. It grows from sea level to 670 m altitude. It needs some shade and well drained soil rich in organic matter. Melbourne Botanical gardens.
Countries/locations it is found in
Australia (country/location of origin)
How it is used for food
The fruit are good for drinks.
Edible parts
Aril, fruit
How it is grown
Plants can be grown from fresh seed.