Elaeocarpus sp. Rocky Creek

Minyon Quandong
Minyon Quandong - juvenile
Conservation status
Endangered (EPBC Act)
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
(unranked):	Angiosperms
(unranked):	Eudicots
(unranked):	Rosids
Order:	Oxalidales
Family:	Elaeocarpaceae
Genus:	Elaeocarpus
Species:	E. sp. Rocky Creek
Binomial name
Elaeocarpus sp. Rocky Creek (G.Read AQ 562114)
Synonyms
Elaeocarpus sedentarius

Elaeocarpus sp. Rocky Creek, known as the Minyon Quandong is a mid-sized rainforest tree growing in a small area on the south of the Mount Warning caldera in northern New South Wales, Australia. A single wild tree has also been discovered in the north of the Caldera approximately 35 km north of the other populations. This tree occurs in Brush Box ecotone areas and warm temperate rainforest. The Minyon Quandong is naturally rare and considered endangered with extinction, The species is listed as Endangered under the NSW Threatened Species Conservation Act and Federal Environment Protection Biodiversity Conservation Act.

Description

Leaves are roundish or obovate, 7 to 15 cm long, 4 to 8 cm wide. Leaf edges are somewhat wavy toothed (crenate), other leaves not toothed. The underleaf is a glaucous white with small hairs, particularly on the leaf veins. The leaf stem is 3 to 6 mm long. Old leaves to orange to dull red before falling.

Flowers are greenish cream and appear in racemes, 2 to 5 cm long. In autumn the fruit matures, being a round shaped blue drupe, 20–35 mm in diameter. The blue skin covers a highly fiberous "flesh". The central "stone" is not grooved, but somewhat sculptured in appearance. Like many Australian Elaeocarpus, germination from seed is slow and difficult.

Elaeocarpus sp. Rocky Creek fruit next to a dollar coin, on a Brush Box leaf

References

• New South Wales Flora Online - retrieved 19 May 2009