Grey bolly gum
Neolitsea brassii, Fam. Lauraceae
Shrub to small tree, stems slightly buttressed in larger trees, with sometimes flaky bark. Odour often present.
| Weed Category: | |
| Weed: | No |
| Form or habit: | Shrub, Small tree |
| Family: | Lauraceae |
| Leaf: | Simple, alternate or whorled entire, elliptic to lanceolate, 6.5-15.5 x 2.5-7.1cm. Three veined or sometimes penninerved, glossy green above, usually slightly glaucous below. Underside of new growth covered in straight, white, appressed hairs but almost completely glabrous when mature. Three to seven pairs of primary veins, domatia absent, oil dots visible with a hand lens. |
| Flower conspicuous: | Conspicuous |
| Flower colour: |
Cream |
| Flower description: | Axillary umbrels of small, creamy flowers on older wood rather than outer branchlets. Dioecious. January to April. |
| Fruit conspicuous: | Conspicuous |
| Fruit colour: |
Red |
| Fruit: | |
| Fruit description: | Globular to ellipsoid drupes, 9-12 x 7.5-10.5mm, red when ripe. May to November. |
| Habitat: | Open forest, rainforest. |
| Distribution | Queensland, Northern Territory, New Guinea. |
| Food source for: | Fruit eaten by the topknot and white headed pigeons, green catbird, regent and satin bowerbirds and metallic starling. |
| Toxicity: | No toxicity known |
| Origin: | Australia, New Guinea. |
| Notes: | Grow from fresh seed from which the flesh has been removed, seed germinate in about six weeks to six months. |
| Information sources: | Melzer R. & Plumb J. (2007) Plants of Capricornia. |
