Trema tomentosa var. viridis

Trema tomentosa var. viridis
Poison peach at Elvina Bay, Australia
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae
(unranked): Angiosperms
(unranked): Eudicots
(unranked): Rosids
Order: Rosales
Family: Cannabaceae
Genus: Trema
Species: T. tomentosa
Variety: T. tomentosa var. viridis
Trinomial name
Trema tomentosa var. viridis
Planch. & Hewson
Synonyms

Trema tomentosa var. viridis is a forest plant. In Australia it occurs from Twofold Bay (37° S) in New South Wales to far northern Queensland, New Guinea and West Papua (Indonesia). It previously was recorded near Mallacoota, but is now presumed extinct in the state of Victoria.[1]

Common names include poison peach, native peach and peach-leaved poison bush. The poison peach is well regarded by rainforest regenerators for quick growth, shelter and shade and as a nursery species, and as a bird attracting plant. The habitat is rainforest regrowth, in disturbed open areas of rainforest, by forest roads and in open forest country.

Description

Trema tomentosa var. viridis from Eastwood, New South Wales, Australia

A shrub or small tree reaching a height of 8 metres and a stem diameter of 15 cm. The bark is smooth and grey, dotted with small lenticels, arranged in vertical and horizontal patterns. The grey or fawn coloured branchlets also feature lenticels.

Leaves alternate with a finely toothed edge. 4 to 9 cm long, ovate shaped with a long pointed tip. Leaf stalk 6 to 12 mm long. Leaf veins prominent on both sides, more evident underneath, particularly the lateral veins in threes. Leaves resemble the invasive weed Lantana camara.

Small greenish flowers in short cymes, appear year round, though most often between December and March. The fruit is a tiny black drupe, 2 to 6 mm in diameter, with a single black seed. The fruit matures between February and August and is eaten by a variety of birds; including brown cuckoo-dove, Australasian figbird, Lewin's honeyeater and olive-backed oriole. Germination is not difficult from fresh seed or cuttings.

References

  1. ↑ Department of Natural Resources and Environment, Victoria (June 1996) Croajingalong National Park Management Plan (PDF) ISBN 0-7306-6137-7. p. 44 quotation:
    "Trema tomentosa　　Peach-leaf Poison-bus　　x　　WTR"
    "Source: FIS (1996), Beauglehole (1981)"
    "x　Presumed extinct in Victoria."　"WTR　Warm Temperate Rainforest"

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