Buchanania arborescens
| Buchanania arborescens | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| (unranked): | Angiosperms |
| (unranked): | Eudicots |
| (unranked): | Rosids |
| Order: | Sapindales |
| Family: | Anacardiaceae |
| Subfamily: | Anacardioideae |
| Genus: | Buchanania |
| Species: | B. arborescens |
| Binomial name | |
| Buchanania arborescens (Blume) Blume[1] | |
Buchanania arborescens, Little gooseberry tree, is a small and slender tree native to monsoon forests of northern Australia, south-east Asia, and the Solomon Islands.
The leaves are spirally arranged, smooth, leathery, elongated oblong, 5–26 cm long. The flowers are very small cream to yellowish white. The edible fruit are globular, small (1 cm long), reddish to purple-black. These are eaten by Torresian imperial pigeons and other birds.[2]
The species was formally described in 1826 by botanist Carl Ludwig Blume based on plant specimens collected from Java. Initially naming it Coniogeton arborescens, Blume transferred the species to the genus Buchanania in 1850.[3]
In Australia the species occurs naturally across the northern extremities of the continent from Western Australia and across the Northern Territory to Queensland where it extends down the east coast as far south as Hinchinbrook Island.[2][4]
Uses
Aboriginal people eat the fruit raw. The plant is also used as a traditional medicine in Australia and Malaysia.[5]
References
- ↑ "Buchanania arborescens (Blume) Blume". Australian Plant Name Index (APNI), IBIS database. Centre for Plant Biodiversity Research, Australian Government. Retrieved 29 August 2013.
- 1 2 Hyland, B. P. M.; Whiffin, T.; Zich, F. A.; et al. (Dec 2010). "Factsheet – Buchanania arborescens". Australian Tropical Rainforest Plants. Edition 6.1, online version [RFK 6.1]. Cairns, Australia: Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO), through its Division of Plant Industry; the Centre for Australian National Biodiversity Research; the Australian Tropical Herbarium, James Cook University. Retrieved 29 August 2013.
- ↑ "Buchanania arborescens (Blume) Blume". Flora of Australia Online. Department of the Environment and Heritage, Australian Government.
- ↑ "Buchanania arborescens (Blume) Blume". FloraBase. Western Australian Government Department of Parks and Wildlife.
- ↑ Brock, J., Top End Native Plants, 1988. ISBN 0-7316-0859-3