Australian Tropical Rainforest Plants - Online edition

Fagraea cambagei Domin


Shrub (woody or herbaceous, 1-6 m tall)
Tree
Click/tap on images to enlarge
Leaves and flower. © Barry Jago
Leaves and fruit [not vouchered]. © G. Sankowsky
Fruit, many views and cross section. © W. T. Cooper
Scale bar 10mm. © CSIRO
10th leaf stage. © CSIRO
Cotyledon stage, epigeal germination. © CSIRO
Family

Domin, K. (1928) Bibliotheca Botanica 89(4): 1071. Type: Nordost-Queensland: Regenwalder bei Harveys Creek (DOMIN I. 1910).

Common name

Porcelain Fruit; Yellowheart; Pink Jitta

Stem

Bark often has a plaited appearance. Inner or outer blaze often yellow. Inner blaze usually marked by yellow, orange or brownish +/- fibrous inclusions.

Leaves

The apex of each shoot rather neatly ruptured or split by the next pair of leaves to emerge. Conspicuous scars completely encircle the older twigs at the site of former petioles. Leaf blades about 7-23 x 7-9 cm. Midrib depressed and petioles channelled on the upper surface.

Flowers

Calyx about 3-5 mm long. Corolla funnel-shaped, tube about 2.2-5 cm long.

Fruit

Fruits broadly ellipsoid-obovoid, ovoid, globular or depressed globular, about 3-4.5 x 3-3.5 cm. Calyx persistent at the base. Seeds about 6-7 x 3.5-4.5 mm, clothed in brown, scale-like structures.

Seedlings

Cotyledons fleshy, cordate or broadly ovate, apex obtuse, base cordate or truncate. At the tenth leaf stage: leaves glabrous, coriaceous or fleshy, obovate, apex acute, base attenuate, veins inconspicuous, about 5-8 each side of the midrib; petioles joined at the base, forming an interpetiolar stipule-like structure which splits as the terminal bud expands. Seed germination time 49 to 75 days.

Distribution and Ecology

Occurs in NEQ. Altitudinal range from sea level to 500 m. Grows in well developed lowland and upland rain forest on a variety of sites. Also occurs in New Guinea, the Aru Islands and the Pacific islands.

Natural History & Notes

This small to medium tree has very good horticultural potential for tropical areas. The large cream flowers are strongly perfumed.

Synonyms
Fagraea gracilipes A.Gray, Proceedings of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences 4 : 323(1859), Type: Feejee Islands.
RFK Code
402
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