Part 2 of Kamerunga. I needed a coffee.
It may not have been the only place where the State Govt carried out tropical fruit research in north Queensland and admittedly there was a vibrant rare and tropical fruit community who were locally active for a long time. I doubt however that many places have carried out such diverse assessments of tropical fruit on the same scale. When I strolled through plantings of rambutans,sapodillas or whatever I was struck by the diversity and productivity as well as the huge size of some trees like a mangosteen and some langsats.
Not all the information was lost thankfully and the rare fruit council published bits and pieces here and there and some scientific papers and assessments can still be located.
To give an idea of scale information exists for the 1970 to 1987 window and some of the fruits trialled then.
Here is a selection of a few varieties that were trialled during that period for some better known species.
Longan varieties: Biew Kiew, Chompoo, Dang, Daw, Fa Hok Chai, Fuhko No.2, Haew, Homestead No.1, Ilao, Kay Sweeney, Kohala, Ponyai, Saig Geeb, Skek Yip, Wai.
Duku-Langsat varieties: Conception, D/L Stock, D/L V2, D/L V5, D/L 2, D/L 3, Daw 1, Dow, Duku, Duku No.1, Duku-Langsat, D1, D4, Jurong, Long Khong, Mindanao, Paete, Peng, Uttardit.
Lychee varieties: Amboina, Baidum, Chacapat, Charley Tong, Cheng, Erewhon, Fay Zee Szu, Groff, H. L. H. Mauritius, Haak Yip, Hong Huey, How, Jim Jee, Kaloke Bai Yaow, Kim Cheng, Kom, Kom Hom Lam Chiak, Kwa Lok, Kwa Lok- Tsang Shing, Kwai May, Kwai May Red, Luk Lai, Maw Mong, No Mai Chee, Peerless, Sa Kan Tu Chi, Sampao Kaow, Souey Tung, Sum Yee Hong, Sweet Cliff, Yook Ho Pow, 7795.
Mammey varieties: Lacetilla.
Mango varieties: Akbar, Apple, Banana I, Batawi, Betti Amba, Beverly, Blue, Boribo, Brooks Late, Bullocks Heart, Carabao Harbon, Carabao Lamao, Carabao Los Banos, Carabao Mindanao, Carabao Super Manila, Coconut, Crimson Blush, Davis-Haden, Dot, Early Gold, Edward, Elephant Tusk, Fairchild, Fajri, Fascell, Florigon, Gail, Gary, Gedong, Golden Delight, Goldsworthy, Golek, Graham, Harumanis, Hatcher, Hingurakoka-Willard, Hong Sa, Hood, Indo-Chinese, Isis, Jacquelin, Jakarta, Jewel, Joe Welch, Julie, Kalapady, Keitt, Kent, Keow Savoey, Kopu Reva, Kuru, Laskarshikhan, Lippens, Maha 65, Malgoa Ramasamy, Manalagi, Mapulehu, Momi K, Nam Dok Mai, Nimrod, Ok Rong, Olour, Ono, Pairee, Pairi, Palmer, Parri, Pico, Pirie, Pope, Rapa, Rosa, Ruby, Rupee, Sabre, Santa Alexandrina, Sensation, Southern Blush, Spirit of '76, Springfels, Sufaida, Tommy Atkins, Tong Dum, Van Dyke, Vellai Colomban, Wally, Zardalu, Zillate.
Kuini varieties: Kuini.
Sapodilla varieties: BKD 110, Brown Sugar, C54, C55, C58, Foster, H C Tan, Kai Hahn, Krasuey, Kulbaba, Lamao, Makok, Makok See Gaa, Martin, Mead, Modella, Pineras, Ponderosa, Prolific, Sawo Manila, Tikal, Tropical.
Matisia varieties: DCA-DF-6-01 , DCA-DF-6-07, DCA-DF-6-08, DCA-DF-6-11, DCA-DF-6-12.
Mulberry varieties: Peradiniya.
Jaboticaba varieties: Grimal.
Rambutan varieties: Aceh Kuning, Bang Yikhan, Binjai, Bogor, Che Mong, Chompoo, Deli, Gading, Gulah Batu, Hew, Jit Lee, Jit Mong, Lebak Bulus, Maharlika-Belen, Nam Tan Kraud, Pelat, Penang, Rapiah, Rongrien, R134, R137, R138, R139, R154, R156, R160, R161, R162, R163, R165, R167, R168, R169, R170, R3, R37, R4, R7, R9, R99, Sadao, Sacay U. P. L. B. , See Tong, Seematjaan, Seematjaan Besar, Seenjonja, Silengkeng, Sinyonya, Sitang Kueh.
Pulasan varieties: Dow, Lee, P1, P3, P36, Sibabat, Unnamed.
The triumph of kamerunga is that many of these treasures are still out there or their progeny is. Often they are on farms where the identity has been lost but many or also in fruit enthusiasts collections with information like variety and when and where collected also being lost but not all.I have found accessing many of the rare species from some local people difficult as not everyone is enthusiastic about sharing.