Brabejum stellatifolium fruit cluster

Brabejum stellatifolium fruit may emerge in dense clusters on short stalks as in the photo. Wild-almond does appear from this to be an appropriate common name for the tree.

These still partly green fruits are covered in coats of velvety hairs; the young fruits are often purple or magenta as described in the literature. Individual plants sometimes veer from common group norms in their looks. In this they resemble people, but lack the spectacular behavioural extremes of humans who diverge to become criminals and deviants or venerated legends. In this case it is only about colour. Which is another issue... we do not go there now.

The almond-like shapes seen here have elongated tips, mostly with an individualistic twist. These fruits float in water. They do not last long in storage, said to contain prussic acid, therefore poisonous unless well soaked (Coates Palgrave, 2002; www.plantzafrica.com).