Plants of South Eastern New South Wales
Ochna serrulata
Common name
Mickey Mouse plant
Family
Ochnaceae
Where found
Rainforest, dry forest, roadsides, disturbed sites, and along streams. Coast and ranges, mostly north of Shellharbour.
Notes
Introduced shrub to 3 m tall. Stems rough, hairless, covered in lenticels, with circular scars. Leaves alternating up the stems, 2-7 cm long, 6-20 mm wide, hairless, margins toothed, often wavy. stalks variable in length, some leaves almost leaf stalkless, others with stalks up to 13 mm long. Young leaves light green, often have a bronze tinge. Older leaves dark green. Flowers perfumed. Flowers 20-30 mm in diameter, with 5 yellow petals, single. Fruits consist of bright red sepals with up to 6 fruits, green ripening to black, embedded in them.
General Biosecurity Duty all NSW.
PlantNET description: http://plantnet.rbgsyd.nsw.gov.au/cgi-bin/NSWfl.pl?page=nswfl&lvl=sp&name=Ochna~serrulata (accessed 23 January, 2021)
This identification key and fact sheets are available as a free mobile application:
