Owenia acidula

F. Muell.

Emu apple

Meliaceae Edible: Fruit 167 iNaturalist observations

iNaturalist· cc-by-nc

iNaturalist· cc-by-sa

Summary

Owenia acidula, commonly known as emu apple, is small or medium-sized tree of outback woodlands native to Australia. It may grow to ten metres tall. The pinnate leaves are bright green and shiny, with leaflets 2–5 cm long. Broken twigs ooze a milky sap. The edible fruit is purplish-red with paler speckles, 2–4 cm wide with a large stone-like seed.

Description

A small tree with a single trunk. It grows 4-12 m tall and spreads 4-8 m wide. The crown is dense and rounded. It can occur in clumps with several suckers. The bark is dark grey and rough. The leaves droop. They are 12-16 cm long. The leaves have leaflets along the stalk. The leaflets are 2-4 cm long and 4-9 mm wide. They are dark green. Male and female flowers occur on separate plants. The flowers are tiny and green. They have 5 petals. The fruit are plum-like. They have dark purplish red spots. They are 2-3 cm across. They hang down on long stalks. They contain one hard woody nut with 2-3 seeds.

Edible Uses

The fruit pulp is an Aboriginal bushfood and apparently causes hallucinations. The fruits ripen after falling off the tree, and have a sour flavour.

Traditional Uses

The fruit are sometimes buried before eating. They can be used for drinks, juices and jellies.

This uses section is brief — help expand it

Distribution

A tropical plant. It grows in tropical Australia. It is more common in arid and semiarid areas. It is hardy to frosts. It needs well drained soils. It can grow in sun or light shade.

Where It Grows

Australia*,

Cultivation

It is grown from seed. The seed are difficult to get to grow. It suckers freely from the roots.

Propagation

Seed - very difficult to germinate - in nature it probably germinates after passing through the stomach of an emu.

Other Information

The fruit are commonly eaten.

Notes

There are about 6 Owenia species. They grow in Australia.

Also Known As

Dillie Boolen, Colane, Gooya, Gruie, Guri, Sour Apple

References (25)

Anon., 2003, Native Plants for the Fitzroy basin. Society for Growing Australian Plants Inc. (Rockhampton Branch) p 69
Bodkin, F., 1991, Encyclopedia Botanica. Cornstalk publishing, p 750
Bonney, N., 2012, Edible Wild Native Plants for Southern Australia. p 110
Boomsma, C.D., 1972, Native Tree of South Australia. Woods & Forests Department South Australia, Bulletin No.19. p 209
Cancilla, D., 2018, Ethnobotanical and Ethnozoological Values Desktop Assessment - Eliwana Project. p 41

Show all 25 references

Cherikoff V. & Isaacs, J., The Bush Food Handbook. How to gather, grow, process and cook Australian Wild Foods. Ti Tree Press, Australia p 190
Cleland, J.B., 1957, Mankind 5(4):149-62
Cribb, A.B. & J.W., 1976, Wild Food in Australia, Fontana. p 46
Elliot, W.R., & Jones, D.L., 1997, Encyclopedia of Australian Plants suitable for cultivation. Vol 7. Lothian. p 125 (Drawing)
Facciola, S., 1998, Cornucopia 2: a Source Book of Edible Plants. Kampong Publications, p 149
Hardwick, G., 2001, Economically Useful Plants for Northern Australia: Master Species List. Crusader eBooks.
Hall, N. et al, 1972, The Use of Trees and Shrubs in the Dry Country of Australia, AGPS, Canberra. p 388
Hedrick, U.P., 1919, (Ed.), Sturtevant's edible plants of the world. p 455
Holliday, I., 1989, A Field Guide to Australian Trees. Hamlyn. p 276
Hooker's J. Bot. Kew Gard. Misc. 9:304. 1857
Hunter, J. T. et al, Budjiti traditional use of plants on Naree Station. p 8
Hunter, J.T., 2017, Is there a relationship between contemporary high Aboriginal plant resource locations and mapped vegetation communities? Cunninghamia 17:27-34. The Royal Botanic Garden Sydney. ISSN 2200 - 405X
Lazarides, M. & Hince, B., 1993, Handbook of Economic Plants of Australia, CSIRO. p 177
Lord, E.E., & Willis, J.H., 1999, Shrubs and Trees for Australian gardens. Lothian. p 19
Low, T., 1991, Wild Food Plants of Australia. Australian Nature FieldGuide, Angus & Robertson. p 178
McKerney, M. & White, H., 2011, Bush Tucker, Boomerangs & Bandages. Border River-Gwyder Catchment Management Authority p 83
Milson. J., 2000, Trees and Shrubs of north-west Queensland. DPI p 102
Morley, B.D., & Toelken, H.R., (Eds), 1983, Flowering Plants in Australia. Rigby. p 200
Paczkowska, G. & Chapman, A.R., 2000, The Western Australian Flora. A Descriptive Catalogue. Western Australian Herbarium. p 294
Townsend, K., 1999, Field Guide to Plants of the Dry Tropics. Society for Growing Australian Plants, Townsville Branch Inc. p 74