Australian Tropical Rainforest Plants - Online edition

Elaeocarpus foveolatus F.Muell.


Tree
Click/tap on images to enlarge
Flowers. CC-BY J.L. Dowe
Fruit, side views, cross section and endocarp. © W. T. Cooper
Scale bar 10mm. © CSIRO
10th leaf stage. © CSIRO
Family

Mueller, F.J.H. von (1865) Fragmenta Phytographiae Australiae 5: 157. Type: In montibus ad sinum Rockinghams Bay. Dallachy.

Common name

White Quandong; Northern Quandong; Quandong, White; Quandong, Northern; Quandong

Stem

Bark often dark with the lenticels appearing almost white by contrast. White granular stripes in the outer blaze.

Leaves

Leaf blades about 4.5-10 x 1.5-3.5 cm. Margin crenate, teeth present all around the margin of the leaf blade, about 15-25 on each side evenly distributed from the base to the apex. About 5-8 main lateral veins on each side of the midrib. Domatia are foveoles. A variable species; leaves variable in shape and structure, difficult to characterize.

Flowers

Sepals less than 14 mm long. Petals about 4.5-7 x 2 mm, apex acute and entire or divided into about 3-5 short lobes or teeth. Stamens more than 50. Ovary hairy.

Fruit

Fruits ellipsoid-ovoid, about 16 x 13 mm. Endocarp +/- smooth (not rugose), 3-sutured only near the apex.

Seedlings

First pair of leaves opposite, lanceolate, apex mucronate, margins finely toothed. At the tenth leaf stage: leaves narrowly elliptic, margin crenate but with a small peg-like tooth on each crenation, midrib raised on the upper surface, stipules linear, about 1-3 mm long; new growth pink-red, clothed in short silky hairs. Tap root somewhat swollen and carrot-like (Daucus carota). Seed germination time 284 to 876 days.

Distribution and Ecology

Endemic to Queensland, widespread, occurs in NEQ and CEQ. Altitudinal range from near sea level to 1200 m. Grows in a variety of well developed rain forests.

Natural History & Notes

Seeds eaten by native rats. Cooper & Cooper (1994).

Stem bark of the species was active against tumor cell cultures. Collins et al. (1990).

RFK Code
20
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