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Medicinal, culinary and unusual botanicals from Australia and around the world
Galbulimima baccata

Galbulimima baccata Info

 

Galbulimima baccata (syn. belgraveana) is a beautiful rainforest tree used by tribes in Papua New Guinea with Homalomena spp. to make an intoxicating tea, which leads to visionary dreams. The tree is native to north-eastern Australia, Malaysia, and Papua New Guinea and can reach a height of 30m. The tree is also used for its wood and has a good ornamental potential, having dark green leaves with a coppery colour underneath and masses of highly fragrant flowers in spring.

Galbulimima baccata
Galbulimima baccata leaves

Galbulimima is a genus of flowering plants and the sole genus of the family Himantandraceae. Members of the family are found in the tropical zones of eastern Malaysia, the Moluccas, the Celebes, New Guinea, northern Australia and the Solomon Islands. Being classified in the magnoliids, this family is part of neither the monocots nor the eudicots and is related to families such as the Annonaceae, the Degeneriaceae, the Eupomatiaceae and the Magnoliaceae. The genus comprises from 1 to 3 species, according to different authorities. From Wikipedia.

28 alkaloids have been isolated from G. belgraveana, but a specific psychoactive principle has not yet been identified. The chemical makeup of G. belgraveana varies from tree to tree, even those growing together. The main alkaloids that have been isolated include himbacine, himgravine, himbosine, himandrine, and himbadine, which have antispasmodic and hypotensive effects. Some other alkaloids found in the plants also had depressant effects.  The fruits contain an essential oil that smells similar to Juniperus, and traces of various alkaloids. From Entheology.

Galbulimima baccata
Galbulimima baccata fruit and flower buds

Propagation from seed is hit and miss. I germinated a few individuals from North Qld fruit back in 2008 but most seed i got out of the fruit was not viable. A lack of close individuals may lead to low seed set. Cuttings are possible via air layering but can take 3-6 months to form roots.

Galbulimima baccata seedling
Galbulimima baccata seedling
Galbulimima baccata
Galbulimima baccata seedling

 

Galbulimima baccata
Galbulimima baccata leaves and unripe fruit
Galbulimima baccata
Galbulimima baccata leaves and ripe fruit
Galbulimima baccata fruit
Galbulimima baccata fruit
Galbulimima baccata
Galbulimima baccata leaf tip showing brown scales.
Galbulimima baccata dried leaf and fruit
Galbulimima baccata dried leaf and fruit

 

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