''Gossia bidwillii'', known as the python tree is a rainforest myrtle of eastern

Australia Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country comprising mainland Australia, the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania and list of islands of Australia, numerous smaller isl ...

. The usual habitat is the drier rainforest areas. The range of natural distribution is from the Hunter River (32° S) in

New South Wales New South Wales (commonly abbreviated as NSW) is a States and territories of Australia, state on the Eastern states of Australia, east coast of :Australia. It borders Queensland to the north, Victoria (state), Victoria to the south, and South ...

to Coen (13° S) in far northern

Queensland Queensland ( , commonly abbreviated as Qld) is a States and territories of Australia, state in northeastern Australia, and is the second-largest and third-most populous state in Australia. It is bordered by the Northern Territory, South Austr ...

. Other common names include lignum-vitae, scrub ironwood and smooth-barked

ironwood Ironwood is a common name for many woods that have a reputation for hardness, or specifically a wood density that is denser than water (approximately 1000 kg/m3, or 62 pounds per cubic foot), although usage of the name ironwood in English ma ...

Taxonomy

The species was first described in 1867 by

George Bentham George Bentham (22 September 1800 – 10 September 1884) was an English botanist, described by the weed botanist Duane Isely as "the premier systematic botanist of the nineteenth century". Born into a distinguished family, he initially studie ...

as ''Myrtus bidwillii'',Bentham, G. (5 January 1867)
Orders XLVIII. Myrtaceae- LXII. Compositae. Flora Australiensis 3: 275-276
/ref> but in 2003 was transferred to the genus, ''Gossia,'' by Neil Snow, Gordon Guymer and Sawvel.

Description

A medium-sized tree, usually around 18 to 25 metres tall and up to 20 cm in trunk diameter. The trunk is crooked and not cylindrical, the bark being smooth and orange/brown in colour with attractive green blotchy markings. Hence the common name of Python Tree. The bark sheds in thin papery flakes. Branchlets are smooth and brown. The leaves are opposite, simple and not toothed, being 5 to 8 cm long. Elliptic to ovate in shape with a leaf stem 3 to 6 mm long. Oil dots prominent when viewed with a lens, the leaf has a faint eucalyptus smell. Leaf venation evident, with a raised midrib on both sides, and an intramarginal vein around the leaf edge. Gossia bidwillii seedlings

White, scented flowers form between October and December. The fruit is a black

berry A berry is a small, pulpy, and often edible fruit. Typically, berries are juicy, rounded, brightly colored, sweet, sour or tart, and do not have a stone or pit although many pips or seeds may be present. Common examples of berries in the cul ...

. Flattened and warty, 6 mm in diameter. Inside are 3 to 5 attractive mauve coloured seeds. Fruit matures from January to May, eaten by various birds including the Rose crowned fruit dove.

References

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(other publication details, included in citation)
{{Taxonbar, from=Q5587487 Myrtales of Australia Trees of Australia Flora of New South Wales Flora of Queensland bidwillii Taxa named by George Bentham Taxa named by Neil Wilton Snow Taxa named by Gordon P. Guymer Plants described in 1867