mystery nuts/husks

[Jim Croft]

Try Flacourtiaceae: Pangium edule.   SE Asia, Malaysia, Indonesia,
Phillippines, Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands, Vanuatu

Internet search on: Pangium edule rattles
will pull up a number of references; not many usable images tough.

If you want to try and narrow down provenance of this item you might want to
compare it with anthropological collections from the SW Pacific, starting
with Vanuatu, moving N and W - you may be able to find common point in the
string and knotting style of the rattle bunch.

The fruit of this species is pretty nasty, full of cardiac glycocides and
similar, but with careful preparation (leaching and boiling and mashing and
leaching and...) you can eat it.  That is to say, you can, but I won't... :)

The bark is fibrous and can be used for string making and it is possible the
string tying the rattle together in the image is of the same species.

The leaves and bark are also toxic and are used as a fish poison in some
areas...  and it is reported to kill lice...

Of course, if it turns out not to be Pangium edule, none of the above is of
any interest at all...  :)

jim

-----Original Message-----
From: Taxacom Discussion List [mailto:TAXACOM at listserv.nhm.ku.edu] On Behalf
Of Tony Irwin
Sent: Friday, 17 February 2006 10:44 AM
To: TAXACOM at listserv.nhm.ku.edu
Subject: mystery nuts/husks

I've posted a picture at
http://www.btinternet.com/~anthonyirwin/husks/
of some odd "shells" of a nut or fruit which I don't recognise.
Unfortunately I've no idea which region they're from. Any help as to their
identity would be appreciated.
Many thanks

Tony Irwin

Dr A.G.Irwin, Natural History Department, Castle Museum Study Centre,
Shirehall, Market Avenue, Norwich NR1 3JQ, England.
Tel:+44 1603 493642. E-mail: tony.irwin at btinternet.com