Macadamia integrifolia (Macadamia)

Kingdom: Plantae
(unranked): Angiosperms
(unranked): Eudicots 
Order: Proteales 
Family: Proteaceae 
Genus: Macadamia
Species: Macadamia integrifolia
Common names: Macadamia, Queensland nut, Bush nut, Maroochi nut, Queen of Nuts and bauple nut

They are small to large evergreen trees growing to 2-12 m tall. The leaves are arranged in whorls of three to six, lanceolate to obovate (egg-shaped and flat, with the narrow end attached to the stalk) or elliptical in shape, 6-30 cm long and 2-13 cm broad, with an entire or spiny-serrated margin. The flowers 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 tepals. The fruit is a very hard woody globose follicle with a pointed apex, containing one or two seeds. Macadamias are highly nutritious nuts. They have the highest amount of beneficial monounsaturated fats of any known nut. They also contain 9% protein, 9% carbohydrate, 2% dietary fibre, calcium, phosphorus, potassium, sodium, selenium, iron, thiamine, riboflavin and niacin.

Photographed at  Lat 39 4' 9.9"S   Long  174 5' 49.1"E Datum WGS 84Macadamia 1.jpg

 

Macadamia Raceme
Macodamia raceme.jpg

Macadamia Nut
Macadamia nut.jpg