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Antidesma dallachyanum

Baill.

Herbert River cherry

Phyllanthaceae Edible: Fruit

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Florida Museum of Natural History Herbarium - University of Florida

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Fairchild Tropical Botanical Garden Herbarium (FTG)

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Fairchild Tropical Botanical Garden Herbarium (FTG)

Description

A small to medium sized tree. It grows to 6-8 m tall. It spreads 2-4 m wide. Leaves are dark green and glossy. They are 5-10 cm long by 2-3 cm wide. They are oval or sword shaped. The leaf stalks are 4-8 mm long. Male and female trees are separate. Female trees on their own can bear a small amount of fruit. The fruit occur in long currant like clusters. There are 10-30 fruit in a cluster. They are larger than bignay and black or dark purple. Fruit are 2.5 cm across.

Edible Uses

The fruit are eaten fresh and used to make jelly, juice, and wine. The fruit are high in Vitamin C.

Traditional Uses

The fruit are eaten fresh and used for jelly, juice and wine.

This uses section is brief — help expand it

Distribution

It is a tropical plant. It grows beside streams. It likes deep well-drained soil. It needs a warm, sheltered, frost free site. It is damaged by drought and frost.

Where It Grows

Australia*, North America, USA,

Cultivation

Plants can be grown from seed or cuttings. They can be grafted.

Production

Plants produce fruit in its sixth year. Fruit matures in 90-150 days.

Notes

There are about 100-170 Antidesma species. The fruit are high in Vitamin C.

Also Known As

Currant Tree, Wild Cherry, Woolmi

References (16)

  • Adansonia 6:337. 1865
  • Bircher, A. G. & Bircher, W. H., 2000, Encyclopedia of Fruit Trees and Edible Flowering Plants in Egypt and the Subtropics. AUC Press. p 34
  • Bodkin, F., 1991, Encyclopedia Botanica. Cornstalk publishing, p 90
  • Cherikoff V. & Isaacs, J., The Bush Food Handbook. How to gather, grow, process and cook Australian Wild Foods. Ti Tree Press, Australia p 144, 198
  • Cribb, A.B. & J.W., 1976, Wild Food in Australia, Fontana. p 22
Show all 16 references
  • Elliot, W.R., & Jones, D.L., 1982, Encyclopedia of Australian Plants suitable for cultivation. Vol 2. Lothian. p 208
  • Facciola, S., 1998, Cornucopia 2: a Source Book of Edible Plants. Kampong Publications, p 240
  • Gouldstone, S., 1983, Growing your own Food-bearing Plants in Australia. Macmillan p 132
  • John, L., & Stevenson, V., 1979, The Complete Book of Fruit. Angus & Robertson p 292
  • Lazarides, M. & Hince, B., 1993, Handbook of Economic Plants of Australia, CSIRO. p 22
  • Leiper, G & Houser, J., Mutooroo. Plant Use by Australian Aboriginal People. Assembly press, Queensland.
  • Martin, F. W., et al, 1987, Perennial Edible Fruits of the Tropics. USDA Handbook 642 p 25
  • Morton, J. F., 1987, Fruits of Warm Climates. Wipf & Stock Publishers p 211
  • Price, S.H. & J.L., Wild Food, Medicine and useful plants of the Wet tropics. Kwik Kopy, Cairns. p 5
  • Townsend, K., 1994, Across the Top. Gardening with Australian Plants in the tropics. Society for Growing Australian Plants, Townsville Branch Inc. p 82
  • World Checklist of Useful Plant Species 2020. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew

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