Elaeocarpus miegei

Weibel

Elaeocarpaceae Edible: ?

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President and Fellows of Harvard College

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President and Fellows of Harvard College

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President and Fellows of Harvard College

Summary

Source: Wikipedia

Elaeocarpus miegei is a species of flowering plant in the family Elaeocarpaceae and is native to New Guinea, the Bismarck Archipelago, the Solomon Islands and the Tiwi Islands of the Northern Territory. It is a tall tree with lance-shaped to egg-shaped leaves with the narrower end towards the base, whitish to cream-coloured flowers and bright blue, elliptical fruit.

Description

A tree. It grows 35 m tall. The trunk can be 50 cm across. The leaves are 4-17 cm long by 2-7.5 cm wide. The flowering shoots are near the leaves. The flowers are white. The fruit is 17 mm long by 12 mm wide. They are bright blue.

Distribution

It is a tropical plant. It grows up to 1,450 m above sea level or higher.

Where It Grows

Australia, Papua New Guinea, PNG, Solomon Islands,

Cultivation

We have no specific information for this species, but members of this genus generally grow well in full sun to moderate shade, requiring a fertile, moist but well-drained soil.

Propagation

The seed of most species in this genus is covered by a hard, woody shell and can be very slow and erratic to germinate, sometimes taking 2 years or more. Filing down the shell, or cracking it (being very careful not to damage the seed) in order to allow the ingress of moisture can help to greatly speed up germination. Sow the seed in containers in light shade. When the seedlings are large enough to handle, prick them out into individual pots and grow them on until large enough to plant out, Cuttings of almost ripe shoots, in a sandy soil in a frame. The leaves should be left on the stem.. Many species strike readily from cuttings.

Other Uses

A commercial hardwood. We have no more information on the specific properties of the wood of this species, however the following is a general description of the wood from this genus:- The heartwood is light-yellowish white to pink-brown, it is not distinctly demarcated from the sapwood. The texture is moderately fine and even, with straight to shallowly interlocked grain. The wood is soft to moderately hard; light in weight to moderately heavy; weak; not very durable. It seasons fairly slowly with slight end and surface checking; shrinkage is fairly low. It is easy to resaw and cross-cut; planing is easy and leaves a moderately smooth finish; nailing properties are good. A general purpose wood, it is suitable for purposes such as general planking, shuttering, boxes, crates, wooden pallets, match splints, veneer and plywood.