Trema orientalis (L.) Blume

Cannabaceae

Blume, C.L. von (1856) Museum Botanicum Lugduno-Batavum 2 : 62.

Tree Peach; Rough Trema; Poison Peach; Peach Cedar; Large Poison Peach; Woolly Cedar; Cedar, Peach; Cedar, Woolly

Lenticels in longitudinal lines. Stripes and speckles normally obvious in the blaze. Tree crowns sparse but wide and spreading.

Leaf blades about 7-20 x 1.6-6 cm. Under surface of the leaf blade generally densely clothed in prostrate, fine, white silky hairs. The hairs are so dense as to completely obscure the green coloration of the leaf blade under surface. Upper surface scabrous and sparsely clothed in +/- prostrate hairs.

Inflorescences usually exceeding the petioles. Peduncles very obvious. Male inflorescence about 30-50 mm long with about 20-100 flowers. Female inflorescence about 15-25 mm long with about 5-15 flowers. Perianth lobes about 1.5-2 x 0.5-1 mm. Staminal filaments about 1-1.5 mm long. Ovary ovoid-conical, about 2 x 1 mm, stigmatic arms slender, about 1-1.5 mm long and spreading.

Infructescences approximating or slightly exceeding the petioles. Peduncles obvious. Fruits ovoid, about 3-5 x 2-4 mm, calyx lobes persistent at the base. Seed about 2 x 2 mm. Stone slightly rugose or obscurely ribbed. Embryo U-shaped, cotyledons much wider than the radicle.

Cotyledons elliptic to obovate, about 5-8 mm long. First pair of leaves elliptic, ovate or obovate. Margin with about 4-6 teeth on each side. Both the upper and lower surfaces of the leaf blade densely clothed in short, stout, pale-coloured hairs. At the tenth leaf stage: leaf blade ovate, apex acute, base rounded, margin serrate with teeth along the entire margin of leaf blade, hairy on the upper surface at least along the midrib and main lateral veins, about 3-5 main lateral veins each side of the midrib; stipules small, linear-triangular. Seed germination time 14 to 39 days.

Occurs in CYP, NEQ, CEQ and southwards as far as coastal central Queensland near Bundaberg. Altitudinal range from sea level to 900 m. Grows in lowland and upland rain forest on a variety of sites. This species is a characteristic feature of rain forest regrowth. Also occurs in Africa, Asia, Malesia, the Solomon Islands and the Pacific islands.

This species may have medicinal properties.

Celtis orientalis L., Species Plantarum 2: 1044(1753), Type: India, collector not known.