Chionanthus quadristamineus

blue plum
Lord Howe Island fringetree
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae
(unranked): Angiosperms
(unranked): Eudicots
(unranked): Asterids
Order: Lamiales
Family: Oleaceae
Tribe: Oleeae
Genus: Chionanthus
Species: C. quadristamineus
Binomial name
Chionanthus quadristamineus
F.Muell. (1873)[1]
Synonyms[2]
  • Mayepea quadristaminea (F.Muell.) F.Muell. (1876)
  • Linociera quadristaminea (F.Muell.) Knobl. (1895)
  • Notelaea quadristaminea (F.Muell.) Hemsl. (1896)

Chionanthus quadristamineus , commonly known as the Blue Plum, is a flowering plant in the olive family. The specific epithet refers to the four stamens in the flowers.[1]

Description

Chionanthus quadristamineus is a pale-barked, evergreen tree, growing to 15 m in height. The leathery, broadly elliptic to narrowly obovate leaves are 5–12 cm long and 3–6 cm wide. The small green flowers are 5 mm in diameter. The egg-shaped fruits are 5–6 cm long and dark blue when ripe. The flowering season is from November to May.[1][3][4]

Distribution and habitat

Chionanthus quadristamineus is endemic to Australia’s subtropical Lord Howe Island in the Tasman Sea. It is common in forest from sea-level to elevations of about 400 m in the southern mountains of the island.[1]

References


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