Plants of South Eastern New South Wales

Baloghia inophylla

Flowering stem. Australian Plant Image Index, photographer Murray Fagg, Chichester State Forest north of Maitland

Fruiting stem with ripe seed cases. Australian Plant Image Index, photographer Murray Fagg, Chichester State Forest north of Maitland

Trunk. Australian Plant Image Index, photographer Murray Fagg, Chichester State Forest north of Maitland

Common name

Brush Bloodwood, Ivory Birch, Scrub Bloodwood

Family

 Euphorbiaceae

Where found

Rainforest. Coast and ranges north of Bermagui.

Notes

Tree or shrub to 25 m high. Bark creamy brown, smooth with raised darker brown patches and streaks. Exudes a clear sap from the stem when cut that turns bright red. Scars encircling the stems above some pairs of leaves. Leaves opposite each other, rarely in whorls of 3, 5–18 cm long, 20–65 mm wide, thick, both surfaces hairless, green and shining, lower surface paler. Male and female flowers on the same plant. Flowers usually white, 10-15 mm in diameter, with 5 petals. Separate male and female clusters. Seed case dry, green turning brownish to red, round and slightly 3-lobed, 12–18 mm in diameter, ripe winter-summer.

PlantNET description:  http://plantnet.rbgsyd.nsw.gov.au/cgi-bin/NSWfl.pl?page=nswfl&lvl=sp&name=Baloghia~inophylla (accessed 4 January, 2021)