Coffee Bush
Breynia oblongifolia, Fam. Euphorbiaceae

Erect, slender shrub, understory plant, grows 2-4m high.
Form or habit: | Shrub or small tree |
Latex: | Euphorbiaceae |
Leaf: | Simple Alternate Leaves entire, broadly ovate or oblong-ovate, up to 3.5cm in length with lateral veins obscure. |
Flower conspicuous: | Conspicuous |
Flower colour: | Greenish-yellow |
Flower description: | Pendulous flowers occur singular in leaf axils, any month of the year. |
Fruit conspicuous: | Conspicuous |
Fruit colour: | Pinkish-red maturing to black |
Fruit: | Fleshy |
Fruit description: | Small berries 6mm in diameter, occuring any time of year. |
Habitat: | Gallery (Riverine or riparian) forest,Woodland/ open forest,Beach Scrub/Littoral Rainforest,Rainforest |
Distribution | Queensland, Northern Territory and north-east New South Wales. |
Food source for: | Host plant of aphids, fruits consumed by brown-cuckoo dove, eclectus parrot, Lewin's honeyeater, satin bowerbird and silvereye. This plant also provides for the larval stage of large grass buterfly, and for the following moth species;Parallelia frontina, Parallelia solomonensis and Phyllocnistis diaugella. |
Toxicity: | Toxic if ingested,Toxic or irritant to domestic pets |
Origin: | Australia |
Weed: | No |
Weed status: | |
Notes: | Despite the common name, this plant should not be consumed by humans and is posionous to stock. |
Information sources: | Melzer R. & Plumb J. (2007) Plants of Capricornia.,Society for Growing Australian Plant Townsville Branch Inc. (1994) Across the Top Gardening with Australian Plants in the tropics. |