Terminalia sericocarpa

F. Muell.

Damson, Sovereignwood, Damson plum

Combretaceae Edible: Fruit, Seeds Potential hazards — see below 117 iNaturalist observations

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Description

A large spreading tree. It can be 15-30 m tall and spreads to 5 m across. It loses its leaves during the year. It has a dense broad crown. It can have buttresses. The stem is erect and branching. The bark is rough and develops a checkered pattern. It can also have cracks along it. The branches come out in layers. The leaves are arranged in spirals. They are smooth and oval. Leaves are 2-20 cm long by 1.5-8 cm wide. They taper towards the base. They are shiny rich green on the upper surface and paler underneath. The tip has a short point. The leaves turn bright coloured before dropping. The leaf stalk is 1.5 cm long. The flowers are cream and have a long unpleasant scent. They are about 0.5 cm wide and in hairy spikes 5-10 cm long in the axils of leaves near the ends of branches. The fruit are oval, flattened, and fleshy with a hard stone inside. Fruit are silky hairy but become smooth. There is a slight ridge around the edge of the fruit. The fruit are 1.3-1.8 cm long and 0.8-1 cm wide. They are pink or red and become purple when ripe. The flesh layer is thin. The fruit flesh is edible. The seed is 1.4 cm long.

Edible Uses

The fleshy layer around the fruit is eaten. The fruit are highly prized for consumption.

Traditional Uses

The fleshy layer around the fruit is eaten.

This uses section is brief — help expand it

Known Hazards

The tree is damaged by drought and frost.

Distribution

A tropical plant. It occurs naturally in coastal monsoon vine forest and in rainforest in northern Australia. It is often on sandy soils and near streams. The soils need to be well drained. It grows from sea level to 750 m above sea level. It is damaged by drought and frost. In the Cairns Botanical Gardens. In Townsville palmetum.

Where It Grows

Australia*,

Cultivation

It can be grown from fresh seed.

Production

It is a fast growing tree. In Australia flowering occurs in September to December and fruiting from December to May.

Other Information

The fruit are highly prized.

Notes

There are about 200-250 Terminalia species. They are tropical.

Synonyms

Myrobalanus sericocarpa (F. Muell.) Kuntze

Also Known As

Makkulurr

References (21)

Barwick, M., 2004, Tropical and Subtropical Trees. A Worldwide Encyclopedic Guide. Thames and Hudson p 411
Beasley, J., 2011, Plants of Tropical North Queensland - the compact guide. Footloose publications. p 88
Bodkin, F., 1991, Encyclopedia Botanica. Cornstalk publishing, p 971
Brock, J., 1993, Native Plants of Northern Australia, Reed. p 317
Cherikoff V. & Isaacs, J., The Bush Food Handbook. How to gather, grow, process and cook Australian Wild Foods. Ti Tree Press, Australia p 201

Show all 21 references

Cooper W & Cooper W T, 1994, Fruits of the Rain Forest. RD Press p 284
Cooper, W. and Cooper, W., 2004, Fruits of the Australian Tropical Rainforest. Nokomis Editions, Victoria, Australia. p 130
Darley, J.J., 1993, Know and Enjoy Tropical Fruit. P & S Publishers. p 77
Doran, J.C., & Turnbull, J.W. (Eds), 1997, Australian Trees and Shrubs: species for land rehabilitation and farm plantings in the tropics. ACIAR Monograph No 24. p 342
Garde, M., et al, 2003, A Preliminary List of Kundedjnjenghmi Plant Names. Northern Land Council. (Arnhem Land, Australia)
Hardwick, G., 2001, Economically Useful Plants for Northern Australia: Master Species List. Crusader eBooks.
Hearne, D.A., & Rance, S.J., 1975, Trees for Darwin and Northern Australia. AGPS, Canberra p 113, 36
Hibbert, M., 2002, The Aussie Plant Finder 2002, Florilegium. p 297
Holliday, I., 1989, A Field Guide to Australian Trees. Hamlyn. p 304
Jackes, B.R., 2001, Plants of the Tropics. Rainforest to Heath. An Identification Guide. James Cook University. p 47
Jones D, L, 1986, Ornamental Rainforest Plants in Australia, Reed Books, p 247, 340
Lazarides, M. & Hince, B., 1993, Handbook of Economic Plants of Australia, CSIRO. p 235
Pearson, S. & A., 1992, Rainforest Plants of Eastern Australia. Kangaroo Press p 202
Townsend, K., 1994, Across the Top. Gardening with Australian Plants in the tropics. Society for Growing Australian Plants, Townsville Branch Inc. p 356
Wheeler, J.R.(ed.), 1992, Flora of the Kimberley Region. CALM, Western Australian Herbarium, p 559
Wightman, G. M. & Andrews, M.R., 1989, Plants of Northern Territory Monsoon Vine Forests (Vol 1). Conservation Commission of Northern Territory. p 84