Byron Flora and Fauna Study 1999 - Byron Shire Council

A GREENPRINT FOR A SUSTAINABLE FUTURE
Red Boppel Nut (Hicksbeachia pinnatifolia FAMILY PROTEACEAE)
Introduction. Red Boppel Nut is an ornamental rainforest tree which is locally common in the Byron Shire. Its range is
restricted, and Red Boppel Nut is sparsely distributed in other parts of its range. Its seed is similar to that of the closely
related Macadamia, hence Red Boppel Nut is of interest to the bush food industry. No Recovery Plan has been prepared.
A detailed species outline has been compiled by Barry and Thomas (1994) (Queensland).
Conservation status. Red Boppel Nut is listed on Schedule 2 (Vulnerable) of the TSC Act, 1995 and has a ROTAP code
of 2ECi (Briggs and Leigh 1996).
Habit. A small tree attaining about 12 m in height. Usually with one or more unbranched stems arising from the rootstock
(Floyd 1989).
Flowers. Purplish-brown, with curved perianth segments, in long racemes on the leafless stem (Floyd 1989). Flowers
scented, particularly at night (H. Bower pers. comm.). No information about pollination is available. The morphology of
the flowers and their arrangement on the trunk of the tree is suggestive of a role for insects and/or bats in pollination.
Fruit. A fleshy indehiscent follicle, red when ripe, oval, 2-5 cm long, grooved on one side, tip oblique with a long thin
beak. Kernel of the single oval ‘nut’ is edible. Ripe September to January (Floyd 1989). The fruit is eaten, and seeds
usually destroyed, by King Parrots (A. McKinley and B. Stewart, pers. obs.). Rodents may also move seeds dropped
beneath the trees. Presumably some seeds escape predation and are scattered or moved by seed predators.
Habitat. Subtropical rainforest on basalt-derived soils (Floyd 1989), also on alluvium and soils derived from metasediments
(Barry and Thomas 1994).
Distribution. From Nambucca Valley, NSW to Tambourine Mountain, Queensland. Recorded in NSW from Missabotti;
Upper Bellinger River; Dorrigo NP; Buffer Creek; Never Never SF; Kyogle; Terania Creek; Whian Whian SF; Boomerang
Falls; Dorroughby; Rosebank; Rotary Park; Alstonville; Billinudgel; Mooball; Chillingham; Murwillumbah. (Floyd 1989).
Red Boppel Nut is locally common in the upper parts of the Brunswick River, Wilsons and Coopers Creek and the
Goonengerry area. Details of more than thirty records on private land were compiled during the current survey, and
many more individuals are scattered in the vicinities of these locations. At least seven new locations were found by the
authors during this survey.
Regeneration and horticulture. Floyd (1989) obtained 100% germination after 60 days. Early growth is slow (several
sources quoted by Barry and Thomas 1994). No information about cutting propagation is available. Seedlings and
saplings are apparently shade-tolerant, but are likely to respond favourably to small light gaps. Unfortunately early growth
is slow, and seedlings are attacked by insects, snails and fungi (Robinson et al. 1994).
Economic and cultural significance. Red Boppel Nut is of interest to the bush food industry for the eating qualities of its
seed (Robinson et al. 1994). Otherwise, no particular use or significance is known apart from the aesthetic and ecological
values of all native rainforest species.
Abundance and reservation. Red Boppel Nut is locally common in parts of the Shire, to the extent that a traditional
common name for the species is ‘Mullumbimby Nut’. Red Boppel Nut is also fairly common in Whian Whian SF, and is
represented in a number of reserves within the Shire. However, Briggs and Leigh (1996) regard Red Boppel Nut as being
inadequately reserved.
Threats and amelioration. Land clearing, fragmentation, roadworks, grazing and weed encroachment are documented as
threats to Queensland populations (Barry and Thomas 1994), and apply also in NSW. Roadside slashing has damaged
plants from Montecolum to Goonengerry. In the Byron Shire, in the core of the Red Boppel Nut’s distribution, the many
plants on private land have particular conservation significance. Many plants are competing poorly with lantana, and as
their seed does not disperse well, future regeneration in the fragmented and degraded habitat available may not be
effective. General rehabilitation measures including weed and fire management, and extension of habitat patches will
improve the conservation status of Red Boppel Nut.
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