Australian Rainforest Fruits: A Field Guide

By Wendy Cooper and William T. Cooper

This beautifully illustrated field guide covers 504 of the most common fruiting plants found in Australia's eastern rainforests, as well as a few species that are rare in the wild but generally well-known. These spectacular plants can be seen from Cape York to Victoria, with some species also found in the Northern Territory, Western Australia and overseas.

Rainforest fruits are often beautifully coloured, and in this guide the species are arranged by colour of ripe fruit, then by size and form. Five broad categories – pink to purple, blue to black, yellow and orange to red, green to brown, and white – allow people with even limited botanical knowledge to identify rainforest fruits.

Each species description is accompanied by a leaf drawing, a distribution map, and diagnostic characters to help the reader distinguish similar species.

Australian Rainforest Fruits includes stunning artwork by Australia’s leading natural history artist, William T Cooper. It will be sought not just by bushwalkers and natural history enthusiasts, but also by those who admire botanical art at its best.

• Language: English
• Publisher: CSIRO PUBLISHING
• Release date: Mar 12, 2013
• ISBN: 9780643107861

Wendy Cooper

Wendy Cooper, a physical education teacher for 30 years and mother of two, is the founder and president of the award-winning Healthy Highway program. This program uses traffic themes and metaphors to encourage families to make healthy choices in all areas of their lives. This program has been used in schools around the country and received national recognition when it was featured on Rachael Ray’s Yum-O website. One of Wendy’s greatest honors was being a featured exhibitor at the Alliance for a Healthier Generation conference in Washington, D.C. Other awards include: the Special Olympics Healthy Communities Partner of Excellence Award; the first Greece Chamber of Commerce's Annual Community Health Award; and the Amazing Person Retiree Award presented by NYSAHPERD. Her passion to help families live healthier lives led her to write Healthy Rules of the Road.

Book preview

Key to rainforest fruits

HARVEY’S BUTTONWOOD

Glochidion harveyanum

Fruit: about 8 × 12–18 mm; seeds about 10, 4–5 mm long. June–Feb. Habit: shrub or tree to 12 m. Leaves: simple, 40–190 × 30–70 mm. Key features: pink pumpkin-like fruit, seeds enclosed in red aril, leaf underside shiny green. Distribution: Cooktown area NE Qld to Proserpine CE Qld & NG.

PHYLLANTHACEAE

ATHERTON SAUROPUS

Sauropus macranthus

Fruit: 10–14 × 15–25 mm; seeds usually 6, 6–10 mm long. Feb.–Dec. Habit: shrub to 3 m. Leaves: simple, 40–130 × 25–50 mm. Key features: purplishred calyx persistent at fruit base. Distribution: Atherton area NE Qld, NG, SE Asia, China & India.

PHYLLANTHACEAE

MOSSMAN MAHOGANY

Dysoxylum arborescens

Fruit: 15–25 × 15–30 mm, 1–6-valved; seeds 1–6, 18–22 mm long. Feb.–May. Habit: tree to 25 m. Leaves: compound; leaflets 4–9, 50–190 × 20–70 mm. Key features: hot pink fruit with red seeds. Distribution: Cape York to Cardwell NE Qld, NG, Pac. Is., Taiwan & Andaman Is.

MELIACEAE

HYLAND’S BUTTONWOOD

Glochidion hylandii

Fruit: 12–15 mm wide, 5- or 6-valved; seeds 5–10, about 5 mm long. Any month. Habit: shrub or small tree to 20 m. Leaves: simple, 30–150 × 20–60 mm. Key features: reddish pumpkin-like fruit, seeds enclosed in red aril, leaf underside glaucous. Distribution: Daintree River to Paluma NE Qld.

PHYLLANTHACEAE

BUFF MAHOGANY

Dysoxylum klanderi

Fruit: 35–55 × 25–35 mm; seeds up to 4, about 20 mm long. Oct.–Feb. Habit: tree to 35 m. Leaves: compound; leaflets 4–10, 40–250 × 30–100 mm. Key features: ribbed pink fruit, seeds red, cut seeds purple. Distribution: Cedar Bay NE Qld to the Conway Range CE Qld.

MELIACEAE

COOPERS’ PUZZLE

Cupaniopsis cooperorum

Fruit: 15–30 × 15–40 mm, 2- or 3-valved; seeds 1–3, 12–14 mm long. Dec.–Mar. Habit: tree to 10 m. Leaves: compound; leaflets 4–16, 47–170 × 15–55 mm, shiny. Key features: fruit white or pinkish on the inside. Distribution: Atherton Tableland from Butchers Creek to Zillie Falls NE Qld.

SAPINDACEAE

PINK TAMARIND

Cnesmocarpon dasyantha

Fruit: 12–18 × 12–16 mm; seeds usually 3, about 12 mm long. Nov.–Feb. Habit: tree to 25 m. Leaves: compound; leaflets 6–12, 60–190 × 20–60 mm. Key features: fruit clothed in stiff hairs, pink inside, leaflet underside glaucous. Distribution: Cape Tribulation to the Seaview Range NE Qld & NG.

SAPINDACEAE

HAIRY LEPIDEREMA

Lepiderema hirsuta

Fruit: 18–22 × 15–18 mm; seeds usually 3, about 7 mm long. Oct.–Nov. Habit: tree to 10 m. Leaves: compound; leaflets 32–38, 40–195 × 15–40 mm. Key features: tree usually unbranched, leaflets numerous and without domatia, fruit sticky and usually hanging on trunk. Distribution: Cooktown to Mossman NE Qld.

SAPINDACEAE

CORDUROY TREE

Sarcopteryx stipata

Fruit: 12–17 × 10–13 mm; seeds usually 3, 7–8 mm long. Sep.–Jan. Habit: tree to 10 m or rarely to 40 m. Leaves: compound; leaflets 3–12, 35–100 × 10–40 mm. Key features: fruit somewhat glaucous, seeds subtly lobed. Distribution: Fraser Island SE Qld to the Taree area NSW.

SAPINDACEAE

TOPAZ TAMARIND

Synima macrophylla

Fruit: 15–30 × 15–28 mm; seeds usually 3, 12–15 mm long. Nov.–May. Habit: tree to 11 m. Leaves: compound; leaflets 4–12, 90–280 × 50–150 mm. Key features: fruit keeled at openings and densely hairy inside, leaflets large. Distribution: Cooktown area to Tully NE Qld.

SAPINDACEAE

Guioa sarcopterifructa

Fruit: about 25 × 20–27 mm; seeds usually 3, 7–8 mm long. Jan.–Feb. Habit: tree to 6 m. Leaves: compound; leaflets 7–22, 28–85 × 10–30 mm. Key features: winged glaucous pink fruit, leaflets with 1 or 2 large domatia. Distribution: Cooktown to Mt Sorrow near Cape Tribulation NE Qld.

SAPINDACEAE

CLAUSENA

Clausena brevistyla

Fruit: 6–16 × 6–16 mm; seeds 1–3, 9–12 mm long. Dec.–May. Habit: shrub or small tree to 8 m. Leaves: compound; leaflets 6–14, 30–130 × 10–45 mm. Key features: fruit dotted and sticky, leaves with minute hairs at each tooth. Distribution: Cape York to the Yarraman area SE Qld & NG.

RUTACEAE

GLUE-BERRY TREE

Cordia dichotoma

Fruit: 10–23 × 5–15 mm; seeds 1–3 within a woody endocarp. Sep.–Jan. Habit: tree to 20 m. Leaves: simple, 35–210 × 25–105 mm, entire or toothed, tufts of hairs often present on underside. Key features: pearly fruit with very sticky flesh. Distribution: Torres Strait to Bundaberg SE Qld, NT, WA, NG, N. Cal., SE Asia & India.

BORAGINACEAE

PINK LIME

Glycosmis trifoliata

Fruit: 5–12 × 5–12 mm; seeds 1–3, 6–8 mm long. Oct.–July. Habit: shrub or small tree to 8 m. Leaves: compound; leaflets 1–7, 40–175 × 15–65 mm, shiny. Key features: small pink fruit, leaves usually with 3 leaflets. Distribution: Torres Strait islands to Wide Bay SE Qld, NT, WA & SE Asia.

RUTACEAE

SUPPLEJACK

Flagellaria indica

Fruit: 5–8 × 5–8 mm; seeds 1 or 2, 4–6 mm long. Nov.–Apr. Habit: climber with bamboo-like stems. Leaves: simple, 60–400 × 5–26 mm. Key features: black seeds and coiled leaf tips. Distribution: Torres Strait islands to Sydney NSW, NT, WA, NG, Pac. Is., SE Asia, India & Africa.

FLAGELLARIACEAE

JOHNSON’S ALMOND

Schistocarpaea johnsonii

Fruit: 8–10 × 10–12 mm; seeds 1–3, about 7 mm long. Oct.–June. Habit: shrub or small tree to 7 m. Leaves: simple, 50–180 × 15–55 mm, shiny. Key features: 3-lobed small pink fruit. Distribution: Cooktown to Innisfail NE Qld.

RHAMNACEAE

BUFF BEECH

Gomphandra australiana

Fruit: 20–25 × 12–15 mm; seeds 1, 18–23 mm long. Oct.–Feb. Habit: tree to 20 m. Leaves: simple, 90–240 × 35–100 mm. Key features: pale pink fruit with ribbed seed. Distribution: Cape York to the Paluma Range NE Qld & NG.

ICACINACEAE

Endiandra anthropophagorum

Fruit: 43–65 × 44–64 mm; seeds 1, 19–33 × 22–36 mm. Dec.–Feb. Habit: tree to 8 m. Leaves: simple, 90–160 × 35–80 mm. Key features: large pink (or yellowish, pages 126–127) fruit with a cone-shaped woody stalk-base; seeds with small knob at apex. Distribution: Bloomfield River to Babinda near Innisfail NE Qld.

LAURACEAE

LADY APPLE

Syzygium suborbiculare

Fruit: 30–70 × 35–90 mm; seeds 1, 30–55 mm long. Any month. Habit: tree to 12 m. Leaves: simple, 70–190 × 40–130 mm. Key features: large ribbed fruit, calyx lobes protruding. Distribution: Torres Strait islands to the Daintree River NE Qld, NT, WA & NG.

MYRTACEAE

FONTAIN’S BLUSHWOOD

Fontainea picrosperma

Fruit: 24–35 × 16–31 mm; seeds 1, 20–26 mm long, 4- or 5-lobed. Dec.–Feb. Habit: tree to 25 m. Leaves: simple, 40–220 × 10–75 mm. Key features: fruit velvety, fruit and seed 4- or 5-lobed. Distribution: Lake Eacham area to the Ravenshoe area NE Qld.

EUPHORBIACEAE

BOONJEE SATINASH

Syzygium boonjee

Fruit: 30–50 × 30–50 mm; seeds 1, 20–30 mm long. Aug.–Feb. Habit: shrub or tree to 7 m. Leaves: simple, 50–120 × 17–45 mm. Key features: leaf base rounded. Distribution: Cape Tribulation to the Innisfail area NE Qld.

MYRTACEAE

MISTY SATINASH

Syzygium erythrodoxum

Fruit: 20–30 × 25–45 mm; seeds 1 or 2, 10–20 mm long. Sep.–Nov. Habit: shrub or tree to 12 m. Leaves: simple, 40–120 × 10–55 mm. Key features: leaf base cuneate. Distribution: Cooktown NE Qld to Eungella CE Qld.

MYRTACEAE

EMU-APPLE

Owenia venosa

Fruit: 20–40 × 20–40 mm; seeds 3, within a woody endocarp diam. 20–22 mm. Nov.–Jan. Habit: tree to 20 m. Leaves: compound; leaflets 6–10, 25–110 × 12–35 mm. Key features: fruit scaly. Distribution: Glen Geddes near Rockhampton to the Warwick area SE Qld.

MELIACEAE

CASSOWARY SATINASH

Syzygium graveolens

Other name: Acmena graveolens

Fruit: 50–60 × 50–60 mm; seeds 1, 30–40 mm long. Apr.–Nov. Habit: tree to 35 m. Leaves: simple, 55–222 × 20–100 mm. Key features: leaves thick and recurved at base. Distribution: Cape Tribulation to Tully NE Qld.

MYRTACEAE

CASSOWARY GUM

Syzygium divaricata

Other name: Acmena divaricata

Fruit: 50–60 × 50–60 mm; seeds 1, 30–40 mm long. Jan.–Nov. Habit: tree to 30 m. Leaves: simple, 60–210 × 20–85 mm. Key features: leaves thin and flat at base. Distribution: Cape Tribulation to Tully NE Qld.

MYRTACEAE

BROWN TAMARIND

Castanospora alphandii

Fruit: 25–30 × 30–60 mm; seeds 1 or 2, 17–25 × 20–30 mm. Oct.–Mar. Habit: tree to 35 m. Leaves: compound; leaflets 6–14, 90–240 × 20–80 mm. Key features: fruit velvet hairy, seeds chestnut-like, leaflet underside glaucous. Distribution: Cooktown area NE Qld to the Bellinger River NSW.

SAPINDACEAE

11 PALE PINK, HOT PINK, REDDISH-PINK OR PURPLE FRUITS

LIGNUM-VITAE

Vitex lignum-vitae

Fruit: 5–18 × 5–20 mm; seeds within a bony white endocarp 4–16 mm long. Oct.–July. Habit: shrub or tree to 30 m. Leaves: simple, 50–110 × 20–45 mm. Key features: pink fruit with a large calyx, squashed fruit smells of bleach, seeds difficult to separate from flesh, leaves with domatia and yellow dots on the underside. Distribution: Mt Lewis NE Qld to the Richmond River NSW.

LAMIACEAE

SMALL-LEAVED LILLY PILLY

Syzygium luehmannii

Fruit: 7–11 × 7–11 mm; seeds 1, 2–5 mm long. Nov.–Mar. Habit: tree to 35 m. Leaves: simple, 30–70 × 7–28 mm. Key features: pink fruit with slightly protruding calyx lobes, cut seeds purple. Distribution: McIlwraith Range to Paluma NE Qld and from Fraser Island SE Qld to Kempsey NSW.

MYRTACEAE

TRISTEMMA

*Tristemma mauritianum var. mauritianum

Fruit: 10–18 × 6–14 mm; seeds numerous, about 0.5 mm long. Oct.–June. Habit: shrub to 1.5 m. Leaves: simple, 50–150 × 30–80 mm. Key features: tiny seeds, calyx persistent at fruit apex, leaves 3-veined, stems square. Distribution: A native of Madagascar & Africa, naturalised from Cape Tribulation to the Tully River NE Qld.

MELASTOMATACEAE

MEDINILLA

Medinilla balls-headleyi

Fruit: 11–16 × 11–16 mm; seeds numerous, about 1 mm long. Dec.–Jan. Habit: shrub or vine, root climber or epiphyte. Leaves: simple, 70–140 × 40–70 mm. Key features: fruit apex deeply sunken, numerous tiny seeds, leaves 3-veined. Distribution: McIlwraith Range to the Tully area NE Qld.

MELASTOMATACEAE

PURPLE CHERRY

Syzygium crebrinerve

Fruit: 17–25 × 10–20 mm; seeds 1, about 10 × 10 mm. Jan.–Apr. Habit: tree to 40 m. Leaves: simple, 62–130 × 20–40 mm. Key features: fruit may be pink or purple, cut seed cream, leaves with numerous parallel veins and a pitted surface. Distribution: Bundaberg area SE Qld to the Comboyne Plateau NSW.

MYRTACEAE

VITEX

Vitex melicopea

Fruit: pink, red or black, 4–16 × 4–16 mm; seeds 1–4 within a woody endocarp about 5 mm long. Jan.–Apr. Habit: tree to 30 m. Leaves: compound; leaflets 3–5, 30–160 × 15–60 mm. Key features: seeds difficult to separate from flesh, squashed fruit smells of bleach, leaflets with domatia and yellow dots on the underside. Distribution: Torres Strait islands to Kingaroy SE Qld.

LAMIACEAE

WINDSOR SATINASH

Syzygium dansiei

Fruit: 25–30 × 25–30 mm; seeds 1, 15–20 mm long. Jan.–Apr. Habit: tree to 30 m. Leaves: simple, 38–85 × 13–38 mm. Key features: metallic purple fruit with calyx lobes slightly protruding, cut seeds yellowish. Distribution: Windsor Tableland to Mt Spurgeon NE Qld.

MYRTACEAE

GLOSSY ACRONYCHIA

Acronychia laevis

Fruit: 8–10 × 6–14 mm; seeds 1–4, about 4 mm long. May–Nov. Habit: shrub or tree to 12 m. Leaves: simple, 20–95 × 10–50 mm. Key features: squarish 4-locular purple fruit. Distribution: Olive River NE Qld to the Nightcap Range NSW & Pac. Is.

RUTACEAE

LILLY PILLY

Syzygium smithii

Other name: Acmena smithii

Fruit: 8–20 × 8–20 mm; seeds 1, 5–12 mm long. Mar.–Dec. Habit: