Moreton Bay Chestnut ब्लॅक बीनस्

Marathi name · See all regional names ↓

Also known as Australian Chest Nut

Introduced in India · Kew WCVPTree

Habit: Tree
Found in India: Karnataka, Assam, Kerala & more
Flowering: January-October

Identify this plant with SASYA

One plant. Many familiar names.

Moreton Bay Chestnut in regional languages

Find the name you know, then compare it with the botanical profile. Columns list recorded aliases; they are not paired translations. A Latin spelling appears only when it is present in the source record.

Recorded regional names for Moreton Bay Chestnut
Language	Regional script	Recorded Latin spelling
Marathi	ब्लॅक बीनस्	Not recorded

See the original recorded names

Marathi: ब्लॅक बीनस्

Ecology & growing context

Native status · Kew WCVP: WCVP records it as introduced in India Kew dataset ↗
Kew WCVP dataset; accepted-name match. Dataset matching is separate from an individual regional review. Recorded worldwide native range: Queensland to NE. New South Wales, Vanuatu.
Recorded habitat: Grown as ornamental tree
Explore nearby plants: Karnataka →Assam →Kerala →

Occurrence records show where a plant has been recorded; they do not establish that it is native there. Compare local habitat and growing conditions when choosing plants for a garden.

How to identify Moreton Bay Chestnut

Identify Moreton Bay Chestnut by combining habit, leaf characters, flower or fruit details, location, and its family pattern. Do not rely on one feature alone.

Look for a tree habit.
Check the distinctive field mark: Large chestnut-like poisonous seeds.
Confirm leaf type: Pinnately compound.
Confirm leaf surface: Glabrous (smooth, hairless).
Confirm flower colour: Orange.
Confirm flower arrangement: Raceme.
In season, compare flowering and fruiting time: January-October.

Plant Details

Scientific name: Castanospermum australe
Genus: Castanospermum
Family: Fabaceae
Habit: Tree
Habitat: Grown as ornamental tree
Habitat type: Cultivated
Native to: Australia
Found in India: Karnataka, Assam, Kerala, Gujarat, Maharashtra
Flowering & fruiting: January-October

Leaf characters

Leaf type: Pinnately compoundrecordedLeaflets are arranged in rows along a central stalk, like a feather.“The leaves are 15 cm (5.9 in) long and 6–7 cm (2.4–2.8 in) broad, pinnate, with 11-15 leaflets.” — Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0
Leaf surface: Glabrous (smooth, hairless)recorded

Typical of the family

Arrangement: Alternate
Margin: Entire
Venation: Pinnate

Characters marked “recorded” are for Moreton Bay Chestnut itself; the rest are typical of the Fabaceae family.

Flower & fruit characters

Flower colour: Orangerecorded
Flower arrangement: RacemerecordedIndividual stalked flowers arranged along a central stem, opening from bottom to top.“The flowers are bicoloured red and yellow, 3–4 cm (1.2–1.6 in) long, produced in racemes 6 cm (2.4 in) long.” — Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0
Fruit type: LegumerecordedA dry pod that splits open along two seams (typical of the pea/bean family).“The fruit is a cylindrical pod 12–20 cm (4.7–7.9 in) long and 4–6 cm (1.6–2.4 in) diameter, the interior divided by a spongy substance into one to five cells, each of which contain” — Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0

Typical of the family

Flower symmetry: Zygomorphic (bilaterally symmetrical)
Inflorescence: Raceme
Fruit: Legume

Characters marked “recorded” are for Moreton Bay Chestnut itself; the rest are typical of the Fabaceae family — flowering plants only.

About Moreton Bay Chestnut

Moreton bay chestnut (Castanospermum australe) belongs to the Fabaceae family, where it grows as a tree. In India it has been recorded in Karnataka, Assam, Kerala and 2 other states. It is grown as ornamental tree. Flowering and fruiting run from January to October.

Uses

Locally it is grown for parts that are eaten, cut for timber and furniture and valued as a shade and avenue tree. Parts of this plant are reported as poisonous — treat it as unsafe to eat and wash your hands after handling.