Australian Tropical Rainforest Plants - Online edition

Diospyros australis (R.Br.) Hiern.

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Fruit. © G. Sankowsky

Leaves and fruit. © G. Sankowsky

Leaves and fruit. © Australian Plant Image Index (APII). Photographer: M. Fagg.

I. male flower; J. dissected male flower; K. female flower; L. dissected corolla showing staminodes; M. dissected ovary, female flower; N. fruit. © Queensland Government.

Family

Ebenaceae

Hiern, W.P. (1873) Transactions of the Cambridge Philosophical Society 12: 30.

Common name

Grey plum; Yellow persimmon; Black plum

Stem

Tree or large shrub, to 30 m tall but usually much shorter. Seldom exceeds 40 cm dbh. Outer dead bark quite dark in colour. Cambial layer darkens on exposure to an intense yellow. Plants male or female.

Leaves

Leaf blades about 3.8-12 cm x 1-4.8 cm, oblong, elliptic or narrowly ovate. Petioles about 0.2-0.7 cm long. Venation difficult to discern, more obvious on the upper surface, 7-11 secondary pairs. Undersurface pale yellowish-green. Glands 1-8(-16) on basal half of lamina below. Leaf bearing twigs quite dark.

Flowers

Flowers male or female, 4-merous (4 calyx lobes, 4 corolla lobes). Male flowers solitary or clustered in axillary fascicles, stamens (8-)12-16. Female flowers 1-3 together, staminodes present.

Fruit

Fruiting calyx enlarged. Fruit glabrous, 10-15 mm diameter, yellowish turning red and black.

Seedlings

Features not available.

Distribution and Ecology

Occurs in NEQ, CEQ and southwards into NSW. Altitudinal range from near sea level to 1120 m. Grows in rainforest, riparian forest, vine forest.

Synonyms

Cargillia australis R.Br., Prodromus Florae Novae Hollandiae : 527 (1810), Type: New South Wales, Port Jackson, Hawkesbury, Hunter's River, s.dat., R. Brown iter Austral. 2828 (syn: BM, E, K).

RFK Code

1165

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