Coffee bush
Breynia oblongifolia, Fam. Euphorbiaceae
Erect, slender shrub, understory plant, grows 2-4m high.
| Weed Category: | |
| Weed: | No |
| 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: |
Yellow, Green |
| Flower description: | Greenish-yellow, pendulous flowers occur singular in leaf axils, any month of the year. |
| Fruit conspicuous: | Conspicuous |
| Fruit colour: |
Black, Pink, Red |
| Fruit: | Fleshy |
| Fruit description: | Small berries, pinkish-red maturing to black, 6mm in diameter, occurring any time of year. |
| Habitat: | Beach scrub, gallery (riverine or riparian) forest, littoral rainforest, open forest, rainforest, woodland. |
| 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 |
| 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., Townsend K. & the Society for Growing Australian Plant Townsville Branch Inc. (1994) Across the Top: Gardening with Australian Plants in the tropics. |
