Elaeocarpus angustifolius

Cladus: Eukaryota
Regnum: Plantae
Divisio: Magnoliophyta
Classis: Magnoliopsida
Ordo: Oxalidales
Familia: Elaeocarpaceae
Genus: Elaeocarpus

Elaeocarpus angustifolius is a species of flowering plant in the Elaeocarpaceae family, bearing bitter edible fruit. It is commonly known as Blue Marble Tree, and also as Blue Fig or Blue Quandong, although it is not closely related to figs and apart from both being Eudicots hardly related at all to quandongs. The junior synonym Elaeocarpus grandis, from a later description of the species by Ferdinand von Mueller, is also frequently found.

It is found in New-Caledonia, Queensland, Australia, and New South Wales.

The fruit of this species is round and blue, between 20 and 30 mm across, and has a seed with deep convolutions in its shell. These are eaten whole by cassowaries, Woompoo pigeon and Spectacled flying foxes, which pass the nut undamaged.[1]

References

1. ^ "Tropical Topics". Queensland Department of Environment and Heritage. 13 July 1992. http://www.epa.qld.gov.au/register/p00820at.pdf. Retrieved 2008-10-02.

* "Elaeocarpus angustifolius Blume". Australian Plant Name Index (APNI), IBIS database. Centre for Plant Biodiversity Research, Australian Government. http://www.anbg.gov.au/cgi-bin/apni?taxon_id=61757.
* "Elaeocarpus grandis F.Muell.". PlantNet. National Herbarium of New South Wales. http://plantnet.rbgsyd.nsw.gov.au/cgi-bin/NSWfl.pl?page=nswfl&lvl=sp&name=Elaeocarpus~grandis. Retrieved January 26, 2008.