Small to medium tree with softly scaly, sometimes finely fissured bark and a dense shady crown. Young branchlets are reddish and four angled or four winged.
Weed Category:
Weed:
No
Form or habit:
Small tree, Med tree
Family:
Myrtaceae
Leaf:
Simple, opposite, entire, elliptic to oblanceolate or obovate, 2.5-8cm long, hairless, glossy green above and paler below. Oil dots widely spaced, indistinct and barely translucent.
Flower conspicuous:
Conspicuous
Flower colour:
White
Flower description:
Short panicles of white flowers in leaf axils or terminal Mostly spring to autumn.
Fruit conspicuous:
Conspicuous
Fruit colour:
Pink, Red
Fruit:
Fruit description:
Pink to red, ovoid to pear shaped berries, 1.5-2.5cm in diameter. Late spring to winter.
Habitat:
Rainforest.
Distribution
Queensland, New South Wales.
Food source for:
Fruit eaten by the wompoo fruit dove, Australian king parrot, common koel, figbird, pied currawong, regent and satin bowerbirds, Lewin's honeyeater, Australian brush turkey and grey headed flying fox. Larvae of the moth Blastobasis sarcophaga feed on the fruit and larvae of the moth Cryptophasa pultenae bore into the tree.
Toxicity:
No toxicity known
Origin:
Australia.
Notes:
Grown widely as a garden plant. Grow from fresh seed or cuttings. Fruit edible and pleasant raw, although slightly acidic, or in jam. Early settlers made wine from the fruit. Timber is grey, fairly hard and tough.
Information sources:
Melzer R. & Plumb J. (2007) Plants of Capricornia.
