| Cassowary plum | |
|---|---|
 | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Eudicots |
| Clade: | Asterids |
| Order: | Gentianales |
| Family: | Apocynaceae |
| Genus: | Cerbera |
| Species: | C. inflata |
| Binomial name | |
| Cerbera inflata | |
| Synonyms [3] | |
| |
Cerbera inflata, commonly known as the cassowary plum, grey milkwood, Joojooga, or rubber tree, is a plant in the family Apocynaceae endemic to north east Queensland, specifically the Atherton Tablelands and adjacent areas.
The cassowary plum is a tree up to 30 m (98 ft) in height with a grey fissured trunk. Leaves are glabrous (smooth), lanceolate, dull green above and paler below, and crowded towards the end of the twigs. They measure from 10 to 26 cm (3.9 to 10.2 in) long and 1.5 to 3 cm (0.59 to 1.18 in) wide with 33 to 37 lateral veins. All parts of the tree produces a copious milky sap when cut. [4] [5] [6]
The inflorescence is a much branched cyme up to 15 cm (5.9 in) with usually more than 50 flowers. The flowers have 5 white sepals, a long corolla tube about 16 mm (0.63 in) in length by 2 millimetres (0.079 in) wide with 5 free lobes at the end. They are white with a cream or green centre, are about 10 to 15 mm (0.39 to 0.59 in) in diameter, and have a sweet scent. [4] [5] [6]
Fruits are a bright blue/purple drupe measuring about 7 cm (2.8 in) long by 3 cm (1.2 in) wide, slightly pointed and the end away from the pedicel (stem), with a single large seed. [4] [5] [6]
The species was first described by S. T. Blake in 1948 in the Proceedings of the Royal Society of Queensland as Cerbera dilatata. [7] That name was subsequently found to be a nomen illegitimum as it had already been applied to another plant in 1927 [8] and so it was renamed C. inflata in 1959. [5]
The species epithet derives from the Latin inflatus, meaning "inflated" and referring to the corolla tube. [6]
There is potential confusion regarding the taxon C. dilatata. To clarify, C. dilatata Markgr. was first described in 1927, but has since been determined to be a synonym of C. odollam Gaertn. . [8] C. inflata was originally named C. dilatata S. T. Blake but was renamed in 1959 due to the earlier usage. [5] Of these three taxa, only C. odollam and C. inflata are now considered legitimate, however there are still many references and sightings labelled with Cerbera dilatata, and any that occur outside Australia are likely to be Cerbera odollam.
Cerbera inflata is endemic to Queensland. It grows in well developed rainforest in the foothills and uplands from Innisfail to the Atherton Tablelands. The altitudinal range is from 100 to 800 m (330 to 2,620 ft). [4] [6]
Cassowaries eat the fallen fruit whole, and are the major dispersal agent for the species. [6]
The Atherton Tableland is a fertile plateau, which is part of the Great Dividing Range in Queensland, Australia. It has very deep, rich basaltic soils and the main industry is agriculture. The principal river flowing across the plateau is the Barron River, which was dammed to form the irrigation reservoir named Lake Tinaroo.
Cerbera odollam is a tree species in the family Apocynaceae commonly known as the suicide tree, pong-pong, mintolla, othalam, and chi'ute (CHamorro). It bears a fruit known as othalanga that yields a potent poison that has been used for suicide and murder.
Cerbera is a genus of evergreen trees or shrubs, native to tropical Asia, Australia, Madagascar, and various islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans.
Athertonia is a monotypic genus of plants in the family Proteaceae. The sole described species is Athertonia diversifolia, commonly known as Atherton oak, athertonia, creamy silky oak or white oak. It is endemic to a small part of the Wet Tropics of Queensland, Australia. A relative of the macadamia, it has potential in horticulture and the bushfood industry.
Curtain Fig Tree is a heritage-listed tree at Curtain Fig Tree Road, Yungaburra, Tablelands Region, Queensland, Australia. It is one of the largest trees in Tropical North Queensland, Australia, and one of the best known attractions on the Atherton Tableland. It was added to the Queensland Heritage Register on 3 December 2009.
Pleiogynium timoriense, commonly known as the Burdekin plum, sweet plum, tulip plum, or in the Djabugay language guybalum is a medium-sized fruit-bearing tree in the family Anacardiaceae native to Malesia, Australia and the Pacific Islands.
Jumbun is an Aboriginal community located in Murray Upper, Cassowary Coast Region which is 40 kilometres (25 mi) south-west of Tully in Far North Queensland, Australia. The word "jumbun" means "wood-grub" in Girrimay. The residents of Jumbun are predominantly from the Girrimay and Dyirbal Aboriginal nations. At the 2011 census, Jumbun had a population of 104.
Cerbera floribunda, commonly known as cassowary plum, grey milkwood, or rubber tree, is a plant in the family Apocynaceae which is native to the region from Sulawesi to the Solomon Islands, including north east Queensland.
Elaeocarpus bancroftii, commonly known as Kuranda quandong, Johnstone River almond, ebony heart, grey nut, or nut tree is a large rainforest tree in the family Elaeocarpaceae which is endemic to Queensland. It has coriaceous leaves, attractive white flowers and relatively large fruit containing an edible kernel.
Bulbophyllum wolfei, commonly known as the fleshy snake orchid, is a species of epiphytic or lithophytic orchid with thin, creeping rhizomes, and flattened pseudobulbs each with a single thick, fleshy, dark green leaf and a single cream-coloured flower with dark red stripes. It mostly grows on rainforest trees in tropical North Queensland.
Hollandaea is a small genus of plants in the family Proteaceae containing four species of Australian rainforest trees. All four species are endemic to restricted areas of the Wet Tropics of northeast Queensland.
Opisthiolepis is a genus of a sole described species of large trees, constituting part of the plant family Proteaceae. The species Opisthiolepis heterophylla most commonly has the names of blush silky oak, pink silky oak, brown silky oak and drunk rabbit.
Carnarvonia araliifolia, commonly known as the red oak, red silky oak, Caledonian oak or elephant's foot, is the sole species in the monotypic genus Carnarvonia, a member of the Proteaceae plant family. It is endemic to the rainforests of northeastern Queensland.
Hollandaea sayeriana, sometimes named Sayer's silky oak, is a small species of Australian rainforest trees in the plant family Proteaceae.
Eucalyptus melanoleuca, commonly known as yarraman ironbark or nanango ironbark, is a species of tree that is endemic to south-east Queensland. It has rough ironbark on the trunk and larger branches, smooth bark above, lance-shaped adult leaves, flower buds in groups of seven, white flowers and barrel-shaped, to cup-shaped or conical fruit.
Gardenia actinocarpa is a rare and endangered plant in the madder family Rubiaceae that grows in a very restricted area within the Wet Tropics rainforest of north-east Queensland.
Dendrocnide cordifolia, commonly known as the stinging tree, is a plant in the nettle family Urticaceae endemic to the Atherton Tablelands, south west of Cairns, Queensland. Contact with the plant results in a painful sting, however the intensity and duration of the pain from this plant is extreme.
Xanthophyllum octandrum, commonly known as Macintyre's boxwood, false jitta, yellow boxwood or sovereignwood, is a slow-growing tree in the milkwort family Polygalaceae which has the potential to reach thousands of years of age. It is endemic to coastal northeastern Queensland, Australia.
Alyxia oblongata, commonly known as the chain fruit, prickly lixy, or prickly Alyxia, is a plant in the dogbane family Apocynaceae endemic to a small part of northeastern Queensland.
Data related to Cerbera inflata at Wikispecies
Media related to Cerbera inflata at Wikimedia Commons