Elaeocarpus grandis

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Blue quandong
Elaeocarpus grandis.jpg
At Mount Mellum
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Rosids
Order: Oxalidales
Family: Elaeocarpaceae
Genus: Elaeocarpus
Species:
E. grandis
Binomial name
Elaeocarpus grandis
Flowers Elaeocarpus grandis (Blue Quandong) flowers.jpg
Flowers
Close up image of fruit on its branch Elaeocarpus angustifolius Fruit.jpg
Close up image of fruit on its branch
Flowers and foliage Elaeocarpus grandis (Blue Quandong) flowers and foliage.jpg
Flowers and foliage

Elaeocarpus grandis, commonly known as the blue quandong, silver quandong or blue fig, [3] is species of flowering plant in the family Elaeocarpaceae and is endemic to eastern Australia. It is a large tree with buttress roots at the base of the trunk, oblong to elliptic leaves with small teeth on the edges, racemes of greenish-white flowers and more or less spherical blue fruit.

Contents

Elaeocarpus grandis was known as the extremely similar and possibly synonymous E. angustifolius in Australia from 1980 until 2010, thus numerous sources used as references for this article refer to E. grandis by that name. Before 1980 the trees were usually known as E. sphaericus, an illegitimate name used for E. angustifolius at the time. [4] [ failed verification ]

Description

Elaeocarpus grandis is a tree that typically grows to a height of 35 m (115 ft) and has buttress roots at the base of the trunk, even on smaller trees. The leaves are oblong to elliptic, mostly 80–190 mm (3.1–7.5 in) long, 10–40 mm (0.39–1.57 in) wide with between twenty-five and fifty-five regular teeth on the edges and tapering to a petiole 10–20 mm (0.39–0.79 in) long. The leaves have many small domatia and turn bright red before falling. The flowers are arranged in racemes 60–100 mm (2.4–3.9 in) long, often on one side of the peduncle, each flower on a pedicel 10–15 mm (0.39–0.59 in) long. The five sepals are less than 14 mm (0.55 in) long and the five petals are greenish-white, about 15 mm (0.59 in) long with four of five lobes up to 5 mm (0.20 in) long at the tip. There are between fifty and fifty-five stamens and the ovary is hairy. Flowering occurs in autumn and the fruit is a more or less spherical blue drupe 20–30 mm (0.79–1.18 in) in diameter with a deeply sculptured stone. [3] [5] Note the second source for this description is a description of Elaeocarpus angustifolius . [5] [6] [7]

Similar species

It cannot reliably be told apart from the widespread and variable species E. angustifolius, [7] aside from where the plant is growing: plants in Queensland and New South Wales are considered E. grandis, those found growing elsewhere are E. angustifolius. [3] [8] Many regional forms of E. angustifolius were described in the past, but these are at present all considered the same species. [7] Despite this, some local Australian databases do not recognise the synonymy, and due to this E. grandis remains recognised as a valid species. [3] [8] [6]

E. grandis/angustifolius can, however, be told apart from other species of Elaeocarpus by having petals much divided at the apex; small, round fruit; 5-7 locules per stone; straight embryos; and glabrous leaves with even and fine serrations along their margins. [7] In New South Wales, E. grandis/angustifolius is most similar to E. obovatus and E. holopetalus. E. obovatus has irregular teeth along the leaf margins and less secondary veins per leaf. E. holopetalus has similar veined and toothed leaves, but lacks domatia on them and has a much shorter petiole. [9]

Taxonomy and naming

Elaeocarpus grandis was first formally described in 1860 by Ferdinand von Mueller in his book Fragmenta Phytographiae Australiae from material collected on the banks of the Pine River. [10] [11] The name was largely forgotten, but in 1984 the botanist M.J.E. Coode, an Elaeocarpus expert, was the first to list it as a synonym of the species E. angustifolius in his work Elaeocarpus in Australia and New Zealand. [7] In 2010 it was accepted as a valid species again by the Australian Plant Census . The Australian Plant Census database claims Coode's description of E. angustifolius as a description of E. grandis, [12] [13] [14] [ failed verification ] however, the description was first prepared by Coode in 1981 for his work on the Elaeocarpus of the Papuasia region.[ citation needed ] In his 2010 work on the Ganitrus group of species, Coode reiterated that according to him E. grandis is indistinguishable from E. angustifolius sensu stricto , as found throughout the greater Oceania and Southeast Asia region. [15]

A 2013 thesis using molecular phylogenetics to study the Elaeocarpus in Australasia found E. grandis was near identical to E. angustifolius in most sequences studied, but that in one sequence with more variety two E. grandis samples (one from Hawaii as E. sphaericus) were found to be within the diversity of E. angustifolius, with the two samples in fact more divergent from each other than from other samples within the E. angustifolius synonymy. [16]

The word 'quandong' originally referred to the deeply sculptured stone within the fruit. [3]

Distribution and habitat

Blue quandong grows in rainforest and along moist, scrubby watercourses from Cooktown in far north Queensland to the Nambucca River in northern New South Wales. [3] [17]

Ecology

It can fruit throughout the year. [18] The fruit of E. grandis is eaten by birds, including the wompoo fruit-dove, southern cassowary [19] and Australian brushturkey. Bower birds may collect the fruit for their colour, creating large piles of the stones.[ citation needed ]

It was one among a few dozen species of large-fruited (for Australian standards) rainforest plants eaten by southern cassowaries in Northern Australia. These flightless birds feed on the fruit and likely disperse the seeds -they have been found to eat all types of Elaeocarpus fruit. Although seeds which are dispersed in cassowary dung do germinate, the percentage is quite low in Elaeocarpus as compared to other rainforest species eaten by the giant birds. [19] [18] [20]

The fruit are eaten by Lumholtz tree-kangaroos ( Dendrolagus lumholtzi ). [21] Flying foxes (genus Pteropus ) also eat the fruit.[ citation needed ]

The larvae of the moths Echiomima mythica and Eschatura lemurias bore into the stems of this plant (as E. angustifolius). [22]

Uses

Horticulture

The wide-ranging buttress roots and size make the blue quandong unsuitable for suburban home gardens or planting near drains. [23]

Timber

The species is well regarded for its timber and as a key part in regenerating rainforest. [24] In the colonial period, the timber was used for furniture, construction and for racing sculls and oars. [17]

Use as food

Indigenous Australians ate the fruit raw or buried the unripe fruit in sand for four days making it sweet and more palatable. Early settlers used the fruit for jams, pies and pickles. [25]

Decoration

Aboriginal people used the stones to make necklaces. [25]

Related Research Articles

<i>Elaeocarpus</i> Genus of flowering plants

Elaeocarpus is a genus of nearly five hundred species of flowering plants in the family Elaeocarpaceae native to the Western Indian Ocean, Tropical and Subtropical Asia, and the Pacific. Plants in the genus Elaeocarpus are trees or shrubs with simple leaves, flowers with four or five petals usually, and usually blue fruit.

<i>Elaeocarpus angustifolius</i> Species of flowering plant in the family Elaeocarpaceae

Elaeocarpus angustifolius is a species of flowering plant in the family Elaeocarpaceae and occurs from India to New Caledonia and northern Australia. Common synonyms are E. ganitrus and E. sphaericus. It is a large evergreen tree, often with buttress roots, and has leaves with wavy serrations, creamy white flowers and more or less spherical bright blue drupe fruit. In English, the tree is known as utrasum bean tree in India. In Sri Lanka recorded names are woodenbegar and Indian bead tree. It is simply known as elaeocarpus in the Northern Territory of Australia. Other names used for this tree in Australia are Indian oil fruit and genitri. In Hawaii it is known as a blue marble tree.

<i>Elaeocarpus kirtonii</i> Species of flowering plant in the family Elaeocarpaceae

Elaeocarpus kirtonii, commonly known as silver quandong, white quandong, brown hearted quandong, brownheart, mountain beech, Mowbullan whitewood, pigeonberry ash, white beech or whitewood, is species of flowering plant in the family Elaeocarpaceae and is endemic to eastern Australia. It is a large rainforest tree with buttress roots, regularly toothed, narrow elliptic to narrow oblong leaves, racemes of white flowers and pale blue, oval fruits.

<i>Elaeocarpus sedentarius</i> Species of flowering plant in the family Elaeocarpaceae

Elaeocarpus sedentarius, commonly known as Minyon quandong, is a species of flowering plant in the family Elaeocarpaceae and is endemic to a restricted area of New South Wales. It is a medium-sized to large tree with elliptic to egg-shaped leaves, racemes of whitish flowers and more or less spherical blue fruit.

<i>Elaeocarpus holopetalus</i> Species of flowering plant in the family Elaeocarpaceae

Elaeocarpus holopetalus, commonly known as black olive berry, mountain blueberry, or mountain quandong, is species of flowering plant in the family Elaeocarpaceae and is endemic to eastern Australia. It is a shrub or small tree with regularly toothed, lance-shaped to egg-shaped leaves, racemes of white flowers and black, oval fruit.

<i>Elaeocarpus obovatus</i> Species of flowering plant in the family Elaeocarpaceae

Elaeocarpus obovatus, commonly known as hard quandong, blueberry ash, whitewood, grey carabeen, freckled oliveberry or gray carrobeen, is a species of flowering plant in the family Elaeocarpaceae and is endemic to eastern Australia. It is a tree with buttress roots at the base of the trunk, egg-shaped to lance-shaped leaves with the narrower end towards the base, racemes of white flowers, and blue, oval fruit.

<i>Elaeocarpus eumundi</i> Species of flowering plant in the family Elaeocarpaceae

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.

<i>Elaeocarpus bancroftii</i> Species tree in the family Elaeocarpaceae endemic to Queensland, Australia

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.

<i>Elaeocarpus williamsianus</i> Species of flowering plant in the family Elaeocarpaceae

Elaeocarpus williamsianus, commonly known as hairy quandong, is a species of flowering plant in the family Elaeocarpaceae and is endemic to a restricted area of north-eastern New South Wales. It is a small tree with lance-shaped leaves, racemes of greenish-white flowers and spherical blue fruit.

<i>Elaeocarpus culminicola</i> Species of tree in the family Elaeocarpaceae

Elaeocarpus culminicola, commonly known as Michael's quandong, is a species of flowering plant in the family Elaeocarpaceae and is native to parts of Malesia and Australasia. It is a tree with wavy leaves with wavy or toothed edges, racemes of white, cream-coloured or pink flowers and more or less spherical fruit.

<i>Elaeocarpus carolinae</i> Tree in the family Elaeocarpaceae endemic to Queensland

Elaeocarpus carolinae is a species of flowering plant in the family Elaeocarpaceae and is endemic to north-east Queensland. It is a tree with buttress roots at the base of the trunk, elliptic to oblong leaves with wavy-toothed edges, flowers with five white petals with lobed tips and spherical blue to purple fruit.

<i>Elaeocarpus elliffii</i> Tree in the family Elaeocarpaceae endemic to Queensland

Elaeocarpus elliffii, commonly known as mountain quandong, is a species of flowering plant in the family Elaeocarpaceae and is endemic to north-east Queensland. It is a tree, sometimes with buttress roots at the base of the trunk, narrow egg-shaped leaves often with large domatia, flowers with five white petals with lobed tips, and more or less spherical fruit.

<i>Elaeocarpus ferruginiflorus</i> Tree in the family Elaeocarpaceae endemic to Queensland

Elaeocarpus ferruginiflorus is a species of flowering plant in the family Elaeocarpaceae and is endemic to north-east Queensland. It is a small to medium-sized tree, sometimes with buttress roots at the base of the trunk, elliptic to egg-shaped leaves, flowers with five white petals, and dark bluish-grey fruit.

<i>Elaeocarpus foveolatus</i> Tree in the family Elaeocarpaceae endemic to Queensland

Elaeocarpus foveolatus, commonly known as white quandong or northern quandong, is a species of flowering plant in the family Elaeocarpaceae and is endemic to Queensland. It is a medium-sized tree, sometimes with buttress roots at the base of the trunk, variably-shaped leaves with serrated edges, flowers with five petals often with a few short lobes or teeth on the tip, and elliptic to oval fruit.

Elaeocarpus johnsonii, commonly known as Kuranda quandong or Johnson's quandong, is species of flowering plant in the family Elaeocarpaceae and is endemic to north-east Queensland. It is a small to medium-sized tree, often with several main stems, elliptic to egg-shaped leaves with the narrower end towards the base, racemes of up to seven flowers, the petals with fringed lobes, and dark blue fruit.

Elaeocarpus largiflorens, commonly known as tropical quandong, is a species of flowering plant in the family Elaeocarpaceae and is endemic to Queensland. It is a medium-sized to large tree, sometimes with buttress roots at the base of the trunk, mostly elliptic leaves and reddish-brown flowers.

Elaeocarpus ruminatus, commonly known as brown quandong, caloon or grey quandong, is a species of flowering plant in the family Elaeocarpaceae and is endemic to Queensland. It is a tree with buttress roots at the base of the trunk, mostly more or less elliptic leaves, cream-coloured flowers with five petals that sometimes have a divided tip, and more or less spherical fruit.

Elaeocarpus sericopetalus, commonly known as hard quandong, blueberry ash, hard duandong or northern quandong, is a species of flowering plant in the family Elaeocarpaceae and is endemic to Queensland. It is a tree, sometimes with buttress roots at the base of the trunk, relatively large lenticels, oblong to elliptic leaves, creamy-white flowers with five petals, and deep red to almost black fruit.

Elaeocarpus stellaris is a species of flowering plant in the family Elaeocarpaceae and is endemic to north-eastern Queensland. It is a tree, sometimes with buttress roots at the base of the trunk, elliptic to egg-shaped leaves, small groups of flowers with greenish-yellow sepals and creamy-white petals, the fruit containing a five-flanged stone.

Elaeocarpus thelmae is a species of flowering plant in the family Elaeocarpaceae and is endemic to north-east Queensland. It is a tree, often with buttress roots at the base of the trunk, egg-shaped to elliptic leaves with many hairy domatia, densely rusty-hairy flowers, and blackish, oval fruit.

References

  1. ↑ "Species profile—Elaeocarpus grandis". Queensland Department of Environment and Science. Queensland Government. 2022. Retrieved 22 November 2023.
  2. ↑ "Elaeocarpus grandis". International Plant Names Index . Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, Harvard University Herbaria & Libraries and Australian National Botanic Gardens . Retrieved 10 January 2022.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "Elaeocarpus grandis". Royal Botanic Garden Sydney. Retrieved 15 February 2021.
  4. ↑ Tirel, Christiane; Raynal, Jean (16 September 1980). "Recherches bibliographiques sur trois espèces d'Elæocarpus (Elæocarpaceæ)". Adansonia. Nouvelle Série (in French). 20 (2): 169–177. Retrieved 18 January 2022.
  5. 1 2 F.A.Zich; B.P.M.Hyland; T.Whiffen; R.A.Kerrigan (2020). "Elaeocarpus grandis". Australian Tropical Rainforest Plants Edition 8 (RFK8). Centre for Australian National Biodiversity Research (CANBR), Australian Government . Retrieved 30 June 2021.
  6. 1 2 Short, Philip S.; Cowie, Ian D. "Flora of the Darwin Region". Northern Territory Government. Retrieved 8 February 2021.
  7. 1 2 3 4 5 Coode, M. J. E. (1984). "Elaeocarpus in Australia and New Zealand". Kew Bulletin. 39 (3): 509–586+1–20. doi:10.2307/4108594. JSTOR   4108594.
  8. 1 2 "Elaeocarpus angustifolius". Northern Territory Government. Retrieved 8 February 2021.
  9. ↑ "Elaeocarpus". Royal Botanic Garden, Sydney . Retrieved 9 January 2022.
  10. ↑ "Elaeocarpus grandis". APNI. Retrieved 15 February 2021.
  11. ↑ von Mueller, Ferdinand (1860). Fragment Phytographiae Australiae. Vol. 2. Melbourne: Victorian Government Printer. p. 81. Retrieved 15 February 2021.
  12. ↑ "Showing Elaeocarpus angustifolius". Vascular Plants - Australian Plant Name Index. Council of Heads of Australasian Herbaria. Retrieved 8 January 2022.
  13. ↑ "Elaeocarpus angustifolius". Australian Plant Census. Retrieved 4 February 2021.
  14. ↑ "Elaeocarpus grandis F.Muell". Plants of the World Online. Retrieved 8 January 2022.
  15. ↑ Coode, M. J. E. (2010). "Elaeocarpus for Flora Malesiana: new taxa and understanding in the Ganitrus group". Kew Bulletin. 65 (3): 355–399. JSTOR   23216389.
  16. ↑ Baba, Yumiko (July 2013). Evolution, systematics and taxonomy of Elaeocarpus (Elaeocarpaceae) in Australasia (PDF) (PhD thesis). James Cook University. Docket 38321. Retrieved 15 January 2022.
  17. 1 2 "Elaeocarpus grandis". Brisbane Rainforest Action and Information Network. Retrieved 15 February 2021.
  18. 1 2 "Cassowary Food Trees" (PDF). Community for Coastal and Cassowary Conservation Inc. Retrieved 15 January 2022. From: Cooper, Wendy (1994). Fruits of the Rainforest. A Guide to Fruits in the Australian Tropical Rainforest. NSW, Grant Young.
  19. 1 2 Kooyman, R.M. (2019). "Cassowary Food Trees" (PDF). Rainforest Rescue. Retrieved 15 January 2022.
  20. ↑ Stocker, G. C.; Irvine, A. K. (September 1983). "Seed Dispersal by Cassowaries (Casuarius casuarius) in North Queensland's Rainforests". Biotropica. 15 (3): 170–176. doi:10.2307/2387825. JSTOR   2387825.
  21. ↑ Lars Kazmeier (2004). Lumholtz tree-kangaroo (Dendrolagus lumholtzi) Food Plants (PDF) (Report). Tree Kangaroo and Mammal Group Inc. p. 1. Retrieved 13 January 2022.
  22. ↑ McMillan, Ian (2 August 2010). "Echiomima". Xyloryctine Moths of Australia. Retrieved 27 August 2020.
  23. ↑ "Elaeocarpus angustifolius – Blue Quandong | Gardening With Angus". www.gardeningwithangus.com.au. Retrieved 9 January 2020.
  24. ↑ "Species list". Archived from the original on 11 March 2018. Retrieved 22 January 2012.
  25. 1 2 "Blue quandong - Elaeocarpus grandis". Queensland Government. Retrieved 15 February 2021.
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