COFFEE, ARABIAN COFFEE (WEED)
Coffea arabica, Fam. Rubiaceae
Shrub or tree to 6m.
| Form or habit: | Shrub or small tree |
| Latex: | Rubiaceae |
| Leaf: | Simple Opposite Opposite or rarely in whorls of 3, simple, elliptic to obovate, 70-200 x 30-90mm, margins wavy; dark shiny green above, paler beneath, domatia conspicuous; 2-4mm long stipules borne on stem between leaf-stalks. |
| Flower conspicuous: | Conspicuous |
| Flower colour: | White or cream |
| Flower description: | White or cream 5-petalled, 18-25mm in diameter, borne in axillary clusters; perfumed. |
| Fruit conspicuous: | Conspicuous |
| Fruit colour: | Red |
| Fruit: | Fleshy |
| Fruit description: | Bright red ellipsoid drupes, 12-16 x 10-25mm, with 1-2 green or cream ‘seeds’, 10-14mm long. |
| Habitat: | |
| Distribution | |
| Food source for: | |
| Toxicity: | No toxicity known |
| Origin: | Tropical Africa |
| Weed: | Yes |
| Weed status: | Environmental/garden escapee |
| Notes: | Spread by: Birds and possibly by water. Invades: Rainforest. Notes: Garden ornamental, and commercial crop in some areas; ‘seeds’ roasted and ground for coffee. Naturalised in rainforests in both North and Southeast Queensland and known to be naturalised in rainforest on lower north-eastern slopes of Mt Jukes where all size classes are common. Not officially recorded and full extent of population not known. Origin apparently from a very early unsuccessful commercial trial in the Mt Jukes valley. Environmental weed. |
| Information sources: | Mackay Regional Pest Management Group (2011) Weeds of the Mackay Whitsunday Region. |
