Scaly ebony
Diospyros geminata, Fam. Ebenaceae
Slow growing, attractive small tree with a fairly dense but often uneven crown and a dull black, hard and fissured bark, scaly in mature trees.
| Weed Category: | |
| Weed: | No |
| Form or habit: | Small tree |
| Family: | Ebenaceae |
| Leaf: | Simple, alternate, two ranked, entire, somewhat leathery, ovate to elliptic with a rounded or notched apex, 2.5-5cm long. Dull to glossy green. Lateral veins faint. |
| Flower conspicuous: | Conspicuous |
| Flower colour: |
Cream, Green |
| Flower description: | Small, creamy green dioecious flowers, males in clusters, females solitary in leaf axils. July to March. |
| Fruit conspicuous: | Conspicuous |
| Fruit colour: |
Orange, Yellow, Red |
| Fruit: | |
| Fruit description: | Ovoid berries, 8-12mm long, yellow turning orange red when ripe. February to December. |
| Habitat: | Rainforest. |
| Distribution | Queensland, New Guinea. |
| Food source for: | Fruit eaten by the rose crowned fruit dove, emerald dove and pied imperial pigeon. Larval food plant of the moth Addaea polyphoralis. |
| Toxicity: | No toxicity known |
| Origin: | Australia, New Guinea. |
| Notes: | The fruit is edible, it is astringent when unripe but sweet and palatable once the fruit has turned orange red. Produces large fruit crops. Grow from cuttings or, with difficultly, fresh seed. |
| Information sources: | Melzer R. & Plumb J. (2007) Plants of Capricornia. |
