Anyway, the pink tamarind (Toechima erythrocarpum) and Topaz tamarind (Synima macrophylla) are both producing fruit as if it's going out of style and their bright colours are giving a festive air to the rainforest.
Pink tamarind (Toechima erythrocarpum)
Pink tamarind fruits normally open on the tree, shedding their seeds from the canopy. But they are often given some 'assistance' in doing this. (Not mentioning any names, but I'm looking at you, king parrots. And those white-tailed rats lurking at the back. Don't think I haven't seen you as well.)
The fruit splits to release three polished seeds, each wearing a jaunty yellow aril. It doesn't look quite as mouth-watering as the aril on a lychee, but the birds seem to like it just fine.
The brush turkeys usually pick them up the moment they fall. I managed to photograph this seed only because it dropped right in front of me and the turkeys weren't game enough to take it from me. Not this time.
The other tamarind-not-tamarind is the Topaz tamarind (Synima macrophylla), which is named after the hamlet nestled in Mt Bartle Frere's rainy and verdant embrace. I photographed this tree over a couple of months. The first two photos are from early October and the last two are from mid-December.
The tiny flowers were irresistible to all sorts of insects. Not that you could tell from my photos, but they were also popular with lots of large wasps. I, on the other hand, was not popular with lots of large wasps after I repeatedly shoved my camera and flash into their faces. Referring to myself at the paperwasp-arazzi didn't help. Quite possibly made it worse. Anyhoo, you can work out why I have no wasp portraits. And it's not because I sold them all to the Daily Mail.
But all those insects were obviously doing some good.
That looks like a good pollination strike rate.
Almost ready
About to shed...
Now how's that for a Christmas tree?
