Aleurites moluccana (L.) Willd.

Aleurites moluccana (Linnaeus) Willdenow, Spec. Plant. 4: 590, 1805.
Medium-sized tree with brown, stellate-scurfy branches. Leaves light green, alternate,
lower surface covered with stellate scales, the upper surface sparingly so, ovate-lanceolate
to rounded, entire or palmately 3 or 5 lobed, lobes triangular, acute, petioles up to 15 or
more cm. long. Flowers small, greenish yellow to white, in large, many-flowered, terminal,
paniculate dusters. Fruit about 5 mm. thick, round, containing 1 or more black, very hard,
nutlike seeds.
Occasional throughout the island (9702). Originally the nuts were used
to make torches and the soot from them served as a coloring material for hiapo
designs. The oil extracted from the nuts was used in lamps and for bathing
infants. The nuts when wrapped with green bananas are said to hasten their
ripening. The roasted nuts are considered especially good for young children.
English name, candlenut; native name, tuitui.
DEPAUW UNIV. 27621 HERBARIUM
HERBARIUM.	T. G. YUNCKER
Flora of Niue Island
Herbarium of Bernice P. Bishop Museum
Aleurites moluccana (L.) Willd
det.: W. Stuppy
(Rijksherbarium, Leiden)
TflUMAN G. YUNCKER HERBARIUM
OF DEPAUW UNIVERSITY (DP0)
PURCHASED BY NY IN 1987
BOTANICAL
Aleurites moluccana (L.) Willd
Tree 7 m. tall, 25 cm. diam
yellowish to white. On rod
near the sea nearMutalau.
Jan. IT, 1940. ’tuitui1
Coll. T. G. Yuncker
NEW YORK BOTANICAL GARDEN
¡rbarium
03927085
03927085