Syzygium moorei

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Coolamon
Syzygium moorei - Couchy Creek, NSW Qld border.jpg
Syzygium moorei – Couchy Creek, NSW/Qld border
Scientific classification Red Pencil Icon.png
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Rosids
Order: Myrtales
Family: Myrtaceae
Genus: Syzygium
Species:
S. moorei
Binomial name
Syzygium moorei
Synonyms

Eugenia moorei F.Muell

Syzygium moorei is a rare sub tropical rainforest tree, growing on volcanic soils in the Mount Warning area of north east New South Wales and south east Queensland, Australia. Common names include coolamon, watermelon tree, durobby and robby; it is also called "rose apple" but this can refer to many species of Syzygium .

Contents

Description

Syzgyium moorei is a canopy tree of sub tropical rainforest, reaching 40 metres in height, and a trunk of 60 centimetres wide. The bark is a grey/fawn/reddish colour. The tree is not buttressed at the base; some larger specimens are flanged at the base.

The leaves are unusual for a New South Wales myrtle, being large, thick and heavy, 8 to 20 cm long with a short blunt point at the tip.

Fruit showing cauliflory Syzygium moorei fruit1.JPG
Fruit showing cauliflory

Flowers and fruit

An unusual factor of this tree is cauliflory, where flower and fruit form on the main stems or woody trunks rather than from new growth and shoots. This is mostly a tropical feature, and unusual in rainforest trees so far south in New South Wales.

In November to February, pink or orange flowers form in dense panicles on mature branches. The berry [1] is white or pale green and up to 6 cm in diameter, maturing around Easter time. The fruit is not pleasant to eat raw, but is an excellent ingredient in mixed preserves. The large seed germinates well after many months. Most seedlings appear in November and December.

Location

A few mature specimens can still be seen in the farmland areas in their former range near streams at low altitude. This tree is in many botanic gardens in Australia. The pink flowers and beautiful form make it a popular park and garden tree; there is a superb specimen at the Royal Botanic Gardens, Sydney. It's also seen as a street tree in Murwillumbah, Brisbane and other nearby localities.

Related Research Articles

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<i>Syzygium paniculatum</i> Species of tree

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<i>Syzygium francisii</i> Species of tree

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<i>Syzygium floribundum</i> Species of tree

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<i>Ficus henneana</i> Species of epiphyte

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<i>Syzygium ingens</i> Species of tree

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<i>Auranticarpa rhombifolia</i> Species of tree

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<i>Dysoxylum mollissimum <span style="font-style:normal;">subsp.</span> molle</i> Subspecies of tree

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<i>Notelaea ligustrina</i> Species of tree

Notelaea ligustrina, known as the privet mock olive, native olive, doral or silkwood, is a plant in the olive family, found in south eastern Australia. It is known to grow in and near rainforests south of Monga National Park in New South Wales, and into Victoria and the island state of Tasmania. The specific epithet ligustrina refers to the Privet, which it resembles.

References

  1. Floyd, A. G. (2008). Rainforest Trees of Mainland South-eastern Australia (2nd, Revised ed.). Lismore, New South Wales: Terania Rainforest Publishing. p. 263. ISBN   978-0-958943-67-3 . Retrieved 20 February 2017.