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Elaeocarpus angustifolius Blume
| Family Name: | Elaeocarpaceae |
| Synonyms: | Elaeocarpus grandis, Elaeocarpus sphaericus |
| Common Name: | Blue Marble Tree, Blue Fig, New Guinea Quandong, Quandong, Snowdrop Tree, Bead Tree of India, Indian Oil Fruit, Geniteri, Blue Quandong |
Name
Classifications and Characteristics
| Plant Growth Form | Tree |
|---|---|
| Mode of Nutrition | Autotrophic |
Biogeography
| Native Distribution | India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Nepal, Myanmar, Thailand, Australia, the Pacific Islands |
|---|---|
| Native Habitat | Terrestrial |
| Preferred Climate Zone | Tropical |
Description and Ethnobotany
| Growth Form | Fast-growing large tree with buttresses, able to grow up to about 30 - 40 m tall in its natural habitat. |
|---|---|
| Crown | Spreading crown, conical-shaped. |
| Trunk | Bark is light grey to brown and fissured. |
| Foliage | Dark green obovate-oblong to oblong-lanceolate leaves, margins serrate, measuring about 8 - 15 cm long and 2.5 - 4.5 cm wide, petiole about 1 - 1.5 cm long, old leaves become red before falling off. |
| Flowers | White 5-petaled flowers borne on an axillary raceme inflorescence about 2 - 4 cm long, petals divided at the tip into 4 or 5 lobes, stamens 25 - 50 present, ovary hairy. |
| Fruits | Fruit is a blue to purplish-blue globose fleshy drupe about 1.5 - 3 cm wide, contains 2 - 5 seeds. |
| Habitat | Can be found in evergreen and valley rainforests. |
| Etymology | Genus Elaeocarpus is from Greek words "elaia" which means "olive" and "karpos" which means "fruit" and they refer to the fruits. Species angustifolius means narrow-leaved. |
| Ethnobotanical Uses | Cultural / Religious ( Aboriginals used to mixed the fresh fruits with water to make an edible paste.) |
Landscaping Features
| Desirable Plant Features | Ornamental Flowers |
|---|---|
| Plant & Rootzone Preference - Tolerance | Moist Soils, Well-Drained Soils |
| Landscape Uses | Parks & Gardens, Small Gardens |
Plant Care and Propagation
| Light Preference | Full Sun |
|---|---|
| Water Preference | Moderate Water |
| Plant Growth Rate | Moderate |
| Propagation Method | Seed |
Foliar
| Mature Foliage Colour(s) | Green, Red |
|---|---|
| Foliar Margin | Serrate / Toothed |
| Foliar Apex - Tip | Acute, Obtuse |
Floral (Angiosperm)
| Flower Colour(s) | White |
|---|---|
| Flower Grouping | Cluster / Inflorescence |
| Inflorescence Type | Raceme |
Fruit, Seed and Spore
| Fruit Type 1 | Fleshy Fruit |
|---|
Image Repository
Others
| Master ID | 1576 |
|---|---|
| Species ID | 2869 |
| Flora Disclaimer | The information in this website has been compiled from reliable sources, such as reference works on medicinal plants. It is not a substitute for medical advice or treatment and NParks does not purport to provide any medical advice. Readers should always consult his/her physician before using or consuming a plant for medicinal purposes. |
