Syzygium corynanthum
Encyclopedia
Syzygium corynanthum is a common Australian tree, growing from near Taree, New South Wales
(31 ° S) to tropical Queensland
. Common names include Sour Cherry and Killarney Satinash. The habitat of Syzygium corynanthum is rainforest
on basaltic or fertile alluvial soils.
The bark is a grey and scaly, with numerous depressions caused by the shedding of bark scales. Syzygium corynanthum are slightly buttressed at the base.
The fruit matures from September to December, being a red berry
, broader towards the tip than at the base. Four persistent calyx lobes surround the base of the fruit, from which the style
usually protrudes. The taste of the fruit is not particularly sour, as the common name might suggest.
Seed germination is slow, commencing at 40 days, and being complete after 200 days. Fruit is prone to insect attack. Soaking of the seeds is recommended to drown insect larvae. Fruit are eaten by many rainforest birds, including the Wompoo Fruit Dove and Catbird
.
Taree, New South Wales
Taree is a city on the Mid North Coast, New South Wales, Australia. Taree and nearby Cundletown were settled in 1831 by William Wynter. Since then Taree has grown to a population of around 20,000 people and is the centre of a significant agricultural district. It is 16 km from the sea coast,...
(31 ° S) to tropical Queensland
Queensland
Queensland is a state of Australia, occupying the north-eastern section of the mainland continent. It is bordered by the Northern Territory, South Australia and New South Wales to the west, south-west and south respectively. To the east, Queensland is bordered by the Coral Sea and Pacific Ocean...
. Common names include Sour Cherry and Killarney Satinash. The habitat of Syzygium corynanthum is rainforest
Rainforest
Rainforests are forests characterized by high rainfall, with definitions based on a minimum normal annual rainfall of 1750-2000 mm...
on basaltic or fertile alluvial soils.
Description
Syzygium corynanthum is a medium size tree, occasionally reaching 30 metres in height and a 90 cm in trunk diameter. The tree's crown appears dark and full.The bark is a grey and scaly, with numerous depressions caused by the shedding of bark scales. Syzygium corynanthum are slightly buttressed at the base.
Leaves, flowers and fruit
The leaves are opposite, simple and entire. Oil dots numerous, about five diameters apart of different sizes. Leaf stalks are 6 mm long. Flowers are in short dense panicles. Petals cream, four in number, appearing in April to July.The fruit matures from September to December, being a red berry
Berry
The botanical definition of a berry is a fleshy fruit produced from a single ovary. Grapes are an example. The berry is the most common type of fleshy fruit in which the entire ovary wall ripens into an edible pericarp. They may have one or more carpels with a thin covering and fleshy interiors....
, broader towards the tip than at the base. Four persistent calyx lobes surround the base of the fruit, from which the style
Gynoecium
Gynoecium is most commonly used as a collective term for all carpels in a flower. A carpel is the ovule and seed producing reproductive organ in flowering plants. Carpels are derived from ovule-bearing leaves which evolved to form a closed structure containing the ovules...
usually protrudes. The taste of the fruit is not particularly sour, as the common name might suggest.
Seed germination is slow, commencing at 40 days, and being complete after 200 days. Fruit is prone to insect attack. Soaking of the seeds is recommended to drown insect larvae. Fruit are eaten by many rainforest birds, including the Wompoo Fruit Dove and Catbird
Catbird
Several unrelated groups of songbirds are called catbirds because of their wailing calls, which resemble a cat's meowing. The genus name Ailuroedus likewise is from the Greek for "cat-singer" or "cat-voiced"....
.