Miconia calvescens DC.

Candolle, A.P. de (1828) Prodromus Systematis Naturalis Regni Vegetabilis 3: 185.

Green Cancer; Purple Plague; Velvet Tree; Miconia

Tree to 15 m tall but often flowers and fruits as a shrub 4-5 m tall.

Leaves to 70 x 50 cm, with short hairs that are sparse to dense especially on young branches. Undersurface purple, maroon to reddish. Three prominent main veins arch from the base to leaf tip. Intramarginal vein also present. Lateral veins (between three main veins) at 90 degrees.

Flowers in terminal panicles of up to 3000 individual flowers. Flowers ca. 5 mm long; petals pink or white; stamens 10, yellow.

Ripe fruit black to purple. Each fruit may contain up to 200 tiny seeds.

Features not available.

An introduced species declared a Class 1 invasive weed, originally from Central and South America but now rarely naturalised in NEQ near Tully, Innisfail and the Daintree. Altitudinal range from near sea level to 70 m. Grows in rain forest including in deep shade.

Fig birds have been seen to eat fruit.

Because of the significant threat to Australian rainforests posed by this species considerable effort is being undertaken to eradicate all known plants. Contact the Queensland Department Department of Agriculture and Fisheries phone (13 25 23) for more information.