Okari Nut Facts, Health Benefits

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Okari Nut Quick Facts
Name: Okari Nut
Scientific Name: Terminalia kaernbachii
Origin Indonesian Irian Jaya (West Papua), the Aru Islands, Papua New Guinea (Madang, Morobe, Western, Gulf, Central, Northern and Bougainville) and the Solomon Islands
Colors Brown
Shapes Ellipsoid, drupe, up to 9–11 cm long by 6–8 cm wide and 5–6 cm thick

Okari nut is a large, deciduous tree with a spreading crown; it can grow up to 45 meters tall, though it is usually smaller in cultivation. The straight, cylindrical bole is usually buttressed. The seed is a very popular food in the areas where it grows, indeed it is said to be one of the tastiest of all tropical seeds. Commonly harvested from wild trees in the forests, it is also semi-cultivated by the local people there. The seed is often sold in local markets. It occurs in lowland rainforest and riverine forest with wide range of rainfall of 2000-7000 m per annum. It performs poorly near the ocean and grows best inland in lowland and intermediate altitudes below 1000 meters. It tolerates poorly drained soils.

Plant description

Okari Nut is a small and mid-canopy tree about 20-30 meters tall with spreading crown, straight and cylindrical trunk and grey bark. Twigs are massive and hairy when young with crowded leaves towards the tips. Leaves are simple, arranged spirally, obovate or narrow obovate about 15–28 cm long by 6–13 cm broad. Inflorescences are axillary with flowers on unbranched axis. Flowers are unisexual and bisexual about 10 mm across. There are free 10 stamens attached to perianth. An ovary is inferior and carpels are joined. Fruit is a large, ellipsoid, indehiscent drupe upto 9–11 cm long by 6–8 cm wide and 5–6 cm thick and covered with short reddish-brown hairs which is green when young and turn to red, fleshy and glabrous when ripe. It has a massive woody stone with large white to creamy-white kernel and reaches 7–8 cm long by 3–4 cm wide and covered by a thin, brown layer of skin.

Name

Okari Nut
Scientific Name Terminalia kaernbachii
Native Indonesian Irian Jaya (West Papua), the Aru Islands, Papua New Guinea (Madang, Morobe, Western, Gulf, Central, Northern and Bougainville) and the Solomon Islands
Common/English Name Okari, Okari Nut
Name in Other Languages French: Noix d’Okari, Noyer d’Okari;
Japan: Buraun taamineria;
Papua New Guinea: okari (Tok Pisin), sarigi (Pole), Makame (Barai), yumu (Foi), topo (Podopa), favie (Onobasalo), uka (Kaluli), tukai’o ( Etoro), iuwa (Hawalisi);
Solomon Islands: Bush Alite, okari
English: brown terminalia, okari nut
Japanese: buraun taamineria (ブラウンターミネリア)
Plant Growth Habit Small, mid-canopy, tree
Soil 20–30 m tall
Bark Grey or grey-brown
Leaf Obovate or narrow obovate, 15–28 cm long by 6–13 cm broad
Flower 10 mm across
Fruit shape & size Ellipsoid, drupe, up to 9–11 cm long by 6–8 cm wide and 5–6 cm thick
Fruit peel  Thin, brown
Seed White to creamywhite, 7–8 cm long by 3–4 cm wide
Seed weight 2.5 to 10 g

Culinary uses

  • Kernels are consumed raw or cooked.
  • In East Asia, seeds are consumed raw, roasted or baked.
  • Roast the kernels lightly with salt.

References:

https://www.itis.gov/servlet/SingleRpt/SingleRpt?search_topic=TSN&search_value=27761#null

https://pfaf.org/user/Plant.aspx?LatinName=Terminalia+kaernbachii

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