''Syzygium francisii'' is a native
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 ...
n tree, common on the eastern sea board, between
Morisset, New South Wales
Morisset ( ;) is a commercial centre and suburb of the City of Lake Macquarie local government area in the Hunter region in New South Wales, Australia. Morisset is a part of the Greater Newcastle area, it is located west of the lake of Lake Ma ...
(33° S) and
Gladstone, Queensland
Gladstone () is a coastal city in the Gladstone Region, Queensland, Australia. In the , the Gladstone urban area had a population of 45,185 people.
It is by road north-west of the state capital, Brisbane, and south-east of Rockhampton, Queensl ...
(23° S). Common names include giant water gum, rose satinash, and Francis water gum. The habitat of ''Syzygium francisii'' is
rainforest
Rainforests are forests characterized by a closed and continuous tree Canopy (biology), canopy, moisture-dependent vegetation, the presence of epiphytes and lianas and the absence of wildfire. Rainforests can be generally classified as tropi ...
on
basaltic
Basalt (; ) is an aphanitic (fine-grained) extrusive igneous rock formed from the rapid cooling of low-viscosity lava rich in magnesium and iron ( mafic lava) exposed at or very near the surface of a rocky planet or moon. More than 90% ...
or fertile
alluvial
Alluvium (, ) is loose clay, silt, sand, or gravel that has been deposited by running water in a stream bed, on a floodplain, in an alluvial fan or beach, or in similar settings. Alluvium is also sometimes called alluvial deposit. Alluvium is ...
soils.
Several fine examples may be seen at the
Royal Botanic Gardens, Sydney
The Royal Botanic Garden, Sydney is a heritage-listed major botanical garden, event venue and public recreation area located at Farm Cove on the eastern fringe of the Sydney central business district, in the City of Sydney local government are ...
. An often seen ''Syzygium francisii'' is at the start of the
Mount Warning
Mount Warning ( Bundjalung: ''Wollumbin''), a mountain in the Tweed Range in the Northern Rivers region of New South Wales, Australia, was formed from a volcanic plug of the now-gone Tweed Volcano. The mountain is located west-south-west of ...
walking track in far north eastern
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 ...
.
Description
''Syzygium francisii'' is a medium to large size tree, occasionally reaching over 30 metres in height and a 150 cm in trunk diameter. The tree's crown appears dark and dense.
The bark is a scaly reddish light brown, with depressions caused by the shedding of scales of bark. Prominent buttresses form at the base.
Leaves, flowers and fruit
The leaves are opposite, simple, entire, 4 to 8 cm long drawn out into a long point at the tip. The leaf margin is often wavy, new growth pinkish.
Flowers: white in
panicles
In botany, a panicle is a much-branched inflorescence. (softcover ). Some authors distinguish it from a compound spike inflorescence, by requiring that the flowers (and fruit) be pedicellate (having a single stem per flower). The branches of a p ...
. Flowers small, less than 6 mm long. Flowering period September to December. The fruit matures from January to April, being a flattened berry, a common shape in many species of ''
Syzygium
''Syzygium'' () is a genus of flowering plants that belongs to the myrtle family, Myrtaceae. The genus comprises about 1200 species, and has a native range that extends from Africa and Madagascar through southern Asia east through the Pacific. I ...
''; the colour is a pale blue, lilac to purple. The flesh is dry and unpalatable to taste.
Seed germination is relatively easy and quick, commencing at 20 days. Soaking of the seeds is recommended to drown insect larvae. Fruit are eaten by many types of rainforest birds.
Gallery
Image:Syzygium francisii leaves.jpg, ''Syzygium francisii'' leaves
Image:Syzygium francisii bark.JPG, ''Syzygium francisii'' bark, Royal Botanic Gardens, Sydney
The Royal Botanic Garden, Sydney is a heritage-listed major botanical garden, event venue and public recreation area located at Farm Cove on the eastern fringe of the Sydney central business district, in the City of Sydney local government are ...
Image:Syzygium francisii - Booyong Reserve - edited.jpg, ''Syzygium francisii'' - Booyong Flora Reserve, near Lismore, New South Wales
Lismore is a city located in the Northern Rivers region of New South Wales, Australia and the main population centre in the City of Lismore Local government in Australia, local government area, it is also a regional centre in the Northern River ...
Image:Syzygium francisii germinating.JPG, ''Syzygium francisii'' - germinating seeds
Image:Lilly Pilly fruit floating in the creek.jpg, Shed fruit drifting on water
References
* Floyd, A.G., ''Rainforest Trees of Mainland South-eastern Australia'', Inkata Press 1989,
Syzygium francisii at ''NSW Flora Online''Retrieved on 2009-08-04
{{Taxonbar, from=Q7663982
Myrtales of Australia
Trees of Australia
Flora of New South Wales
Flora of Queensland
francisii