Elaeocarpus eumundi
F. M. Bailey
Eumundi quandong
(c) Geoffrey Sinclair, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by Geoffrey Sinclair
(c) ryanthughes, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC)
(c) Liz Snow, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by Liz Snow
What to Eat
Edible parts: Fruit
The fruit is said to be juicy and sharply acid.
Where to Find It
It is a tropical plant. It grows in rainforest and along rivers and near the coast.
Australia,
How to Identify
A tree. It can grow 25 m high. The leaves are sword shaped and shiny green. They are more pale underneath. They are 13 cm long. Young growth is hairy. The flowers are cream yellow and the petals have a fringe around the edge. They have a scent. They occur in groups. They fruit are brown and oblong. They are 3 cm long.
How to Grow
Plants can be grown from fresh seed. The stone should be filed to improve germination. Plants can be grown from cuttings.
Propagation: The seed of most species in this genus is covered by a hard, woody shell and can be very slow and erratic to germinate, sometimes taking 2 years or more. Filing down the shell, or cracking it (being very careful not to damage the seed) in order to allow the ingress of moisture can help to greatly speed up germination. Sow the seed in containers in light shade. When the seedlings are large enough to handle, prick them out into individual pots and grow them on until large enough to plant out, Cuttings of almost ripe shoots, in a sandy soil in a frame. The leaves should be left on the stem.. Many species strike readily from cuttings.
Other Uses
A useful general-purpose timber. We have no more information on the specific properties of the wood of this species, however the following is a general description of the wood from this genus:- The heartwood is light-yellowish white to pink-brown, it is not distinctly demarcated from the sapwood. The texture is moderately fine and even, with straight to shallowly interlocked grain. The wood is soft to moderately hard; light in weight to moderately heavy; weak; not very durable. It seasons fairly slowly with slight end and surface checking; shrinkage is fairly low. It is easy to resaw and cross-cut; planing is easy and leaves a moderately smooth finish; nailing properties are good. A general purpose wood, it is suitable for purposes such as general planking, shuttering, boxes, crates, wooden pallets, match splints, veneer and plywood.
Wikipedia
Source ↗Elaeocarpus eumundi, commonly known as Eumundi quandong, or smooth-leaved quandong, is a species of flowering plant in the family Elaeocarpaceae and is endemic to north-eastern Australia. It is a mid-sized tree with egg-shaped to lance-shaped leaves, racemes of cream-coloured flowers and blue fruit. It grows in rainforest from the Cape York Peninsula in Queensland to north-eastern New South Wales.
Names & Synonyms
Smooth-leaved quandong
References (2)
- Anon., 2003, Native Plants for the Fitzroy basin. Society for Growing Australian Plants Inc. (Rockhampton Branch) p 48
- Melzer, R. & Plumb, J., 2011, Plants of Capricornia. Belgamba, Rockhampton. p 106
