Elaeocarpus ruminatus

Elaeocarpus ruminatus, commonly known as brown quandong, caloon or grey quandong, is a species of flowering plant in the family Elaeocarpaceae and is endemic to Queensland. It is a tree with buttress roots at the base of the trunk, mostly more or less elliptic leaves, cream-coloured flowers with five petals that sometimes have a divided tip, and more or less spherical fruit.

Description

A medium sized tree. It grows up to 15-30 m tall and spreads 5-12 m wide. It has a spreading crown. The bark is grey-brown. Young shoots have silky hairs. The leaves are simple and 7-15 cm long by 2-5 cm wide. They are dark green and glossy above and paler underneath. There are teeth along the edge. The flowering stalks are 5-13 cm long and in the axils of leaves towards the ends of small branches. The flowers are 0.6 cm long. They are greenish-white and cup shaped. They have silky hairs. The fruit are 13 mm long by 10-13 mm wide. They hang in bunches in the axils of leaves. There is one seed inside. The flesh of the fruit is edible.

Edible Uses

The flesh of the fruit is edible.

Distribution

A tropical plant. It grows naturally in rainforests in Queensland, Australia. It grows between 200-1160 m altitude. It suits tropical and subtropical regions. It needs well drained soil and plenty of moisture.

Where It Grows

Australia*,

Cultivation

Plants are grown from seed. Seed do not grow easily.

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

The heartwood is pale-brown, sometimes with a greyish tinge, and sometimes with stripes of a darker colour; the sapwood is creamy-white. The grain is often interlocked, producing a ribbon figure on the radial surface. The texture is moderately fine and even. The wood is soft, it seasons well, but is not very durable. It is easy to work, cuts cleanly and dresses with a fine finish; it holds nails and screws well; glues well, readily accepts paint, stain and polish. A useful general-purpose timber, it can be used in construction for linings, flooring, general building framing, and is also used for veneer, turnery, joinery, mouldings, furniture, cabinet worl, shingles, plywood etc.

Notes

There are about 360 Elaeocarpus species mostly in the tropics.

Synonyms

Also Known As

Caloon

References (5)

• Cooper W & Cooper W T, 1994, Fruits of the Rain Forest. RD Press p 108
• Cooper, W. and Cooper, W., 2004, Fruits of the Australian Tropical Rainforest. Nokomis Editions, Victoria, Australia. p 161
• Elliot, W.R., & Jones, D.L., 1984, Encyclopedia of Australian Plants suitable for cultivation. Vol 3. Lothian. p 388
• Jackes, B.R., 2001, Plants of the Tropics. Rainforest to Heath. An Identification Guide. James Cook University. p 51
• Townsend, K., 1994, Across the Top. Gardening with Australian Plants in the tropics. Society for Growing Australian Plants, Townsville Branch Inc. p 177

More from Elaeocarpaceae

Elaeocarpus dolichostylus

Elaeocarpus duclouxii

Elaeocarpus eumundi

Eumundi quandong

Elaeocarpus ferrugineus

Elaeocarpus floribundus

Indian olive

Elaeocarpus foveolatus

Northern Qandong, White Quandong