Shrub or small tree to about 10m with light to dark grey black, rough, flaky to tessellated bark.
Weed Category:
Weed:
No
Form or habit:
Shrub, Small tree
Family:
Rubiaceae
Leaf:
Simple, opposite, entire, ovate to elliptic, 6-15cm long, glabrous or with silky hairs along veins and below, hairy domatia present. Young shoots often silky hairy. Stipules long, membranous, interpetiolar and leave a scar when shed.
Flower conspicuous:
Conspicuous
Flower colour:
White
Flower description:
Small, white, silky hairy, fragrant flowers solitary or in small clusters. Mostly spring.
Fruit conspicuous:
Conspicuous
Fruit colour:
Brown
Fruit:
Fruit description:
Brown, globose, about 1.3cm in diameter with a persistent calyx.
Habitat:
Gallery (riverine or riparian) forest, littoral rainforest, rainforest.
Distribution
Queensland, Northern Territory, Western Australia, New Guinea, Melanesia, Malesia, Asia.
Food source for:
Fruit eaten by the northern and southern blossom bats. Nectar eaten by the dusky honeyeater. Larval food plant of the moths Coscinocera (Hercules moth) and Syntherata janetta.
Toxicity:
No toxicity known
Origin:
Australia, New Guinea, Melanesia, Malesia, Asia.
Notes:
Grow from seed. Some Aboriginal communities drank an infusion from the inner bark to combat colds, influenza and fevers, sore eyes were treated with a concoction from the wood.
Information sources:
Melzer R. & Plumb J. (2007) Plants of Capricornia.
